Sigma Mercenaries 0003: The Beautiful Nightmare Trains
by CSS Stravag
Summary: Sigma Mercenaries, Year 1, day 9 onward. The first Train, the first captured Train, the first two Rail Guard teams. One train is partially cleared, the other is a blank slate. What will be found inside? What will happen to the not-completely-trained teams? What shall become of the people who are released from the nightmare Trains? Rated M: Very strong content: V, L, SC
1. Train 523 Finishing Job

(Sigma Mercenaries, Story 0003: The Beautiful Nightmare Trains)

Interdimensional Jumper Trains. At their conception, the Trains were the answer of the Dynasty Star Empire to the other Star Empires and their massive fleets of Jumpships and Warships. By sneaking in below the flight levels of the space naval forces, the Dynasty was able to hit enemy parties on the ground in a surprise attack scenario that almost always caught their foes off guard. Not impossible to deal with, and especially vulnerable when localized by aerospace assets, the Trains provided the mobility that the Dynasty could not acquire in space.

With the end of the Star Empire Wars, the Dynasty slowly began to acquire a taste for Jumpships and Dropships, obviating the Trains. In a move that has never been fully explained, the Star League Grand Council purchased and redeployed the Trains as 'Living Monuments' and 'Tourist Artifacts' for all of Existence to 'enjoy'. In classic bureaucratic screwup method, though, the Trains were unsecured and maintained by remote systems, rendering them effectively out of control of the Star League. Combined with automatic and mostly-randomized Jump Engines, these trains would wander for centuries, bouncing from dimension to dimension, collecting and disgorging transients all along the way. Some criminal gangs would use them as randomized transport, others would use them as fodder collectors for their own purposes, and even other groups would take to living on these Trains in their entirety. Whole families would be born and live inside the confines of these Trains — and would die in them, their life and times known only to the other residents of the Trains and not always all that well to the denizens sharing the travels.

Now, 3200 years after the beginning of this 'Living Monument', the Executors have contracted a start-up Mercenary unit to finally end this interdimensional idiocy once and for all. Enter Sigma Mercenaries Rail Guard Division, whose sole commission is to entrap, enter, clear, and scrap out the Jumper Trains, in full violation of the Star League 'Living Monument' program in question, and do it with a smile.

In terms of the Sigma Stories, the Train Clearing sections are a mixed bag but are also something that will not be frequently seen in story form. They are mostly a game mechanic, harkening back to the base game system that spawned the Sigma escapades, but are a very good source of guns, people, and finance that will be exploited by Sigma to the hilt. And, given the Star League trend toward screwing the pooch repeatedly, violently, and in full view of the public, I decided to keep the Trains going in this story revision and use them to their full, gritty extent.

I will begin my making this warning VERY CLEAR: these will NOT be 'nice' stories. They will end well, but the Train scenarios are inevitably an interdimensional mixed bag on rails and will be treated as such. There is no recognized rule of law on these Trains. There are precious few morals or guidelines on the Trains. There will be some pretty wildly skullfucked shit on the Trains. Sigma's contract specifically states 'bring order to chaos' and Executor Atrebas was NOT joking when he put that line in the documentation. There will be some pretty massive fights on the Trains, and they won't be pleasant shoot-outs, either. Some scenarios I suspect will cause you readers some gut-wrench, just the same as things will get spiky for myself and my beta readers. I expect this, and I advise you to expect it as well; when there is no rule of law, no reason to be moral, some people will by default not be moral.

The flipside, of course, is there will be a lot of scenarios in these coming stories that are positive beacons for the narrative going forward. In fact, the first chapter has a real good one, a family dislodged by the Rail Guards that will turn heads and make plenty of noise in the Sigma chronicles to come. Not all is grim, in these things: for most people, the sense of community and morality is strong enough that not all is doom and boom, grim and hell, and they will conduct themselves respectfully. It's just those one-in-four punks that will make the story of the Trains rather hard.

This first story of the Rail Guard series will follow the process to come:

1.) Train is captured by the Train Beacon  
2.) Train Engines are Secured and Jump Engines are disabled by the Teams.  
3.) Train is relocated to a staging area for clearance. This involves completely pulling the Train out of pocket-dimension space, so all cars are visible and accessible by the Teams.  
4.) Security Personnel (Militia normally, Multimage Armored Infantry as of right now) form perimeter for redirecting evacuees or to prevent any kind of concerted attack from inside the Train against the base.  
5.) Rail Guard Team has the AI open all doors and exit points on the Train, does a general call-out to evacuate the Train.  
6.) Rail Guard Team enters and clears all personnel, eliminates traps or ambushes, and assesses contents of Train.  
7.) Rail Guard Scrap Team goes through and removes all material not bolted down in the Train. This includes any dead bodies and any persons slain by the Rail Guard team or teams.  
8.) Rail Guard Disassembly Team begins stripping down Train Cars to bare parts. Components are sold on ScrapNet or recycled into local projects for Sigma.  
9.) Jump Engineer Team disassembles and relocates Jump Engines.  
10.) Number Placards off the Engines are affixed to the wall of the Railhead as something of a 'kill count' for Trains that have been decommissioned. Spare number placards are issued as memorabilia to Rail Guard teams involved.

For the purpose of this story, Steps 5 and beyond are what shall be covered. Other Rail Guard stories will have the full series where appropriate.

 **-x-x-x- WARNING SECTION -x-x-x-**

This story will contain a lot of original concepts and interpretations of my other works, as well as historical or established fictional material. This is a multicrossover as well as a setting fusion and even has Alternate Universe tendencies depending on the flow of story. Expect things can and will change from one dimensional parallel iteration to the next.

The primary governments in this story are either historical (ancient civilizations), extant (United States, Russia, similar), or hail from my other stories (Lunar Star League / House Serenity). Matters will be covered in story or explained as necessary in footnotes or special data sections.

Events, encounters, people, and locations will be randomized in this story, excepting where established by fiction or history. Terrain on the homeworld will be randomized to certain degrees, as will population centers, extant 'governments' (term is used loosely in most cases) and military facilities (What survived the dissolution of organized control). All contract offerings are generated from random selection tables fed into a custom-written program for the purpose. No kittens were or shall be harmed in the preparation of such random events. SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOMED, ESPECIALLY FOR CAMPAIGN CONTRACTS.

 _GENERAL DISCLAIMER_ : I own no rights to any included material from any other stories. I intend no offense in such use.

 _VIOLENCE WARNING_ : It is the root of all warfare, for without violence there is no war. Otherwise, it is called 'negotiations', follow? And even I cannot imagine a good military drama with only negotiating, such would be less entertaining than watching paint dry.

 _OC WARNING_ : This story is OC-centric, and not in the typical fashion. The story is driven mostly by random-generated persons, but you will see a lot of historical and fictional characters come and go during the works to come.

 _BAAAAAD LANGUAGE WARNING_ : This story revolves around a Kentucky hardass and the various people he meets in a really crapsack world. Expect foul language; there shall be militia, slaves, soldiers, and general dregs, after all. Also expect a shit-ton of suggestiveness, crazy situations, interpretiveness, analysis, and lots and lots of violence. You have been warned.

 _DICE WARNING_ : Events in this story will be controlled by the dice, and are concrete, true-random results provided by number generation services. These results will change events dynamically and/or modify established plans. After all, there is no mistress more cruel than fate.

 _POLITICAL WARNING_ : Political concepts and methods may be presented in this story that may conflict with established 'norms'. This is deliberate on the part of the author, to show different and rather sharp viewpoints on these subjects. The views expressed potentially match the views of the author, though are not to be considered holy writ. IF YOU THINK I AM BEING OFFENSIVE, LIGHTEN UP FRANCIS. Or, alternately, if your Political Correctness filter becomes overclogged with cold, hard reality, you are always welcome to find something else to read.

 _ANTI-POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WARNING_ : In case you missed the last line of the above warning, AT NO TIME will this story be politically correct. Real life is not politically correct, much less 'nice' in some definitions of the word. If you take issue with this, I recommend finding another read.

 _MATURE CONTENT WARNING_ : This story contains gratuitous references to violence, some nudity, and extensive use of situations that will be considered controversial. This is deliberately part of the narrative, because this is written random and as close to reality as possible. And the real world, last time I checked, is not a nice place.

 **FINAL WARNING**

This story is RATED 'M' for MERCENARIES, 'MERICANS, and MUCH BLOODSHED!

May the action commence!

* * *

(Sigma Mercenaries, Story 0003: The Beautiful Nightmare Of Trains)  
(Chapter 1: Train 523 Finishing Job)

(Day 9 of Campaign)

"We came off this Train, we get to finish cleaning it," Irina H. commented dryly after they stopped toward the caboose of the 523 Train.

"It's a mental quandary," Leander said with some trepidation. "We know what this Train was — we lived on it for a time, we were part of the problem."

Lotta G. snorted after ten seconds. "Not seeing the quandary, Leander."

"No, no, the quandary is not with us — it's in the whole scenario." He shrugged his shoulders to better settle the body armor. "Think about it. We lived on the Train, we look at this Train and we know what we are headed for. What about the Big Guy and the rest of the Militiamen?"

"When this Train landed in his backyard?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah. That's gotta be some serious shit, gearing up and jumping into who the fuck knows what was going on?" Leander asked.

"I have maintained that the Sigma commanders are not normal troops," Sir Launcelot said with a stout heart. "I am also unsure if they are completely in possession of their mental faculties, but for certain they know how to correct the woes of the land and in the here and now such talents are what is needed."

"Good point," Irina commented.

"Still, we have signed onto this misbegotten Crusade, it is our duty to do so or die trying." Sir Launcelot racked the charging handle on his UMP40, which brought it into battery. "Let us save lives!"

"Hear, hear!" Leander said before he drew the charging handle back on his own subgun.

"I'm in," Grace Q. said before she drew the handle back on her UMP40.

"Sort out into teams and prepare to enter. We have a duty to the Protectorate. And keep your damnable safeties on until you have a target!" Sir Launcelot said in echo of repeated orders from Clint.

-x-x-x-

Car 0 (Caboose) (0915)  
Car 1 (Luggage) (0918)

For the Rail Guard teams, the process was the same as for the Militiamen that had stormed through the train in days past. They entered left-right-left-right, clearing corners and sweeping forward and inward, the same procedure as they were trained by Clint. The one screaming difference between the Militiamen and the Rail Guard teams was arsenal — the Militiamen were most properly outfitted for engagements at short and medium range, the Rail Guard teams were outfitted best for close-quarters battle.

These procedures actually served to identify them even before the entry was done. "More Americans?" the lady with the fifty-caliber rifle asked.

"Americans?" Leander asked. "No, but we work for the American," he said after he realized that this was the first group Clint had talked about, a passel of ladies that greeted them inside the first luggage car, and had at least one fifty-caliber rifle in the group. "We're here to clear the Train out for good."

"Clear the Train out? What for?" A lady with an old World War 2 bolt-action rifle asked.

Sir Launcelot stepped forward. "The Trains are to be decommissioned and scrapped. To do so safely, we must have everyone off the train."

"Is that legal?" a teen lady asked. "I thought the Star League prevented that!"

"The orders to eliminate the Trains come from an Executor," Irina answered that fear. "And the American — Sigma One is his new title — is accepting refugees from the Trains into the new Protectorate."

"Holy shit, a stable home? Where do I sign up?" An early-twenties Bravo Mafiosi asked in good cheer.

Sir Launcelot tapped the PTT button for his radio. "Virtue, Launcelot, open luggage car door 5072837, please." A warning horn sounded, then the door slid open to the side. "Outside are some Magi Armored Infantry. They will direct you to the refugee induction area. From there, Sigma personnel will explain what the procedure is."

"You have options, but most of all you have a shot at a new life," Grace said. She was, prior to departing the Train, one of the runners for the Bravo Mafia, so the ladies knew her well. "No slavers will reach you in the Protectorate. You exit this Train, you keep your head clean, you're safe."

"Thank you, Grace," the Mafiosi said. "Come on, we're out of here!"

The entry team watched as the Mafiosi cleared out of the car and started the trek up toward the base Refugee Center. "So starts the happy end for this Train," Lotta said with a smile.

"Gonna take a lot more than that to get to the true happy ending," Amanda E. pointed out fairly.

"One down, 199 cars to go," Leander said. "Let's get moving."

"Aye, let us be off," Launcelot commented.

Little did they know, their exploits were going out on every monitor and speaker in the Train. The entire populace had heard what they had to say.

Car 2 (Luggage) (0921)  
Car 3 (Luggage) (0924)  
Car 4 (Luggage) (0927) (Evacuated 9 Bravo Mafia, 11 Delta Mafia as Civilians)

"It wasn't just some random bullshit, they really are clearing the Train out," a rather small Bravo Mafiosi said after she caught sight of the Rail Guard team entering the luggage car.

"Good, I'm tired of these horse-shit Trains," an early-thirties Mafiosi said. "Where to?" she asked as Leander approached with his UMP40 at low ready.

"Virtue, Leander, open luggage door 8539354," the point man said. "Outside, head toward the front of the Train. Armored Infantry will direct you to the Refugee Induction Center.

"And if we don't want to go with you guys?" a big guy with some kind of assault rifle asked.

"You're not required to join the Protectorate, but you can't stay on the Train. We are completely disassembling it," Leander said to the slightly smaller Delta Mafiosi. After a few seconds of blank stare from the Deltas, he considered another tack to give a shot. "Okay, let's put it this way. Before you were on this Train, what was your trade?"

"I was a cattle farmer and part-time tanner," said Delta Mafiosi replied.

"If we could give you the opportunity, would you be willing to turn your hands to that trade again?" Leander asked.

The thirty-something Delta Mafiosi sputtered. "Give up shooting at the Slavers, raise a herd of cattle? Work leather during the day and aid a smith at night? You talk a good future, but why should I believe it?"

Leander nodded, but deliberately forced himself not to smile. With that question, he knew he had this one solved. "We all have ate in the dining cars, fed by way of the Supply Network that feeds every Train. Consider, though, that those devices are not magic, they are technology."

The Mafiosi nodded twice. "This is well known."

Leander nodded acknowledgment of the point. "Technology does not create something from nothing, it can only move material from one location to another. Something has to supply the food that is fed into the far end of those Storage Systems. What is stopping you from supplying food to those units, food to the rest of the Protectorate, leatherworks to Sigma itself?" he asked.

The thirty-something Delta opened his mouth, waited for a few seconds, then snapped it closed. "I will need land and something to start the herd," he admitted. "And I will likely need ranch-hands, if I am to make a proper living of this."

Leander waved a finger toward the rest of the Deltas. "Your comrades are welcome to ply their own trades, to join your trade, or to find businesses to join or create of their own volition. We have already some 230 civilians waiting for their chance to find their trades, or setting up their own. Every man needs meat, and a rancher in these environs would be very well placed to make that reality. I ask again, what is halting you from trying?"

The Delta Mafiosi smiled. "It would be good to let aside the Slavers and take up ranching again." He waved the rest of the Deltas out of the car. "Who would I speak to about such an arrangement?" he asked before he dropped off the side of the car.

"Business Analyst Clarence Williams can get you moving in the right direction. His callsign is Sigma Three, so anyone can point you to his office after the induction."

"Understood." the Delta Mafiosi dropped off the edge of the car and onto the platform.

Car 5 (Luggage) (0933)  
Car 6 (Luggage) (0936)  
Car 7 (Luggage) (0939)  
Car 8 (Luggage) (0942) (Evacuated 1 Civilian)  
Car 9 (Luggage) (0945)  
Car 10 (Luggage) (0948) (Evacuated 11 Bravo Mafia, 12 Charlie Mafia, 1 Delta Mafia) (+5 mins negotiation)  
Car 11 (Luggage) (0956)  
Car 12 (Luggage) (0959) (Evacuated 2 Recruits)  
Car 13 (Luggage) (1002) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)

After the volunteer for joining Sigma had been cleared and was on the way up to the induction center, Sir Launcelot turned back into the car and walked, but stopped when he accidentally kicked some kind of impressed wood block out from under a pair of jogging pants and into the stock of some manner of crude sub-machinegun, which was stacked nearby an AT-4 antitank rocket and an ammo box. "Curious and even more curious."

"Sir?" Leander asked.

"These arms are similar to, but not the same as ours. I do not recognize it."

Orla snapped a picture of it using her tablet, which immediately identified the four objects — M3A1 'Grease Gun' Submachine gun, AT-4CS Rocket Launcher, M2 Ammo Can w/ 840 rounds 5.56 M855 Ball Ammunition, and the wooden block with impressed rune was determined to be a Strength Rune, 10-power.

"Subgun is inferior to ours — it'll put rounds on target, but it was obsolete as a weapon system long before the UMP series was designed," Orla said after reading through the information on the M3A1. "Still, it is a World War II weapon system, so I could see Clarence paying good penny for it."

"We know about the rocket and the ammo can, what's the wood block? And is it a trap?" Leander asked.

"What?" Orla asked her tablet after she started reading it. "Oh man, that is a Rune Amulet? I've never seen one for real!"

"Pardon?" Sir Launcelot asked.

"Rune Blocks, often called Amulets. They are single-activation spell devices — use them once, that's it, they are spent. Most spells can be applied to a Rune Block, but some spells are specifically for Amulet or Relic use. This is one of them, a Decahedron of Strength. It can be applied to up to ten persons to increase their physical strength marginally, or to a pair of persons to increase significantly, or by one person to increase their physical strength massively. The change delivered by these things is permanent, and since they are rare outside of certain circles, they are rather valuable."

"How valuable?" Amanda asked after a moment.

"250 C-bills per amulet, is the common price, but during times of scarcity the price can inflate up to 5000 for the Decahedral Strength Rune," Orla read off her rune information.

"Sweet! We could sell that for some good cheddar!" Leander said.

"Hell with selling it, we could use it, improve our physical standard by magic," Olivia said.

"I believe five of us would profit most from it, or profit more so than the others," Sir Launcelot said. "Amanda, Melva, Grace and myself are all of reasonable physical stoutness. The rest of the team could use a boost," the old Knight said. "I will not order you to do so, it is volunteer, but if it provides no ill effects, and it is not of satanic bent, it might be a wise idea to use it rather than sell it."

"No, these are standard wizardry, not satanic," Olivia said. "Shall we?" she held the rune block out for the other four to touch.

"I'm in," Orla said and laid her hand on it. Leander, Lotta, and Irina joined in touching the palm-sized wooden block.

" _ **The Runes of Asgard shall channel the power of this Amulet into its bearers**_ ," Olivia chanted the standard Rune activation command, which caused the Rune to glow and the wooden block to disappear after a few seconds. "There. It will take anywhere from a few hours for the magic to take hold and properly be felt, up to a day."

"Keep an eye out for more of these Amulets," Sir Launcelot ordered, then clicked his headset. "Virtue, Launcelot, relay to madame Christenson that we have discovered an Amulet on this train, and there may be some on her Train as well."

"Understood," Virtue said. "Additionally to being prepared by cadet Rune Mages, these Amulets can be formed from the body of a deceased person in some circumstances when using the _Magic Funeral Pyre_ spell."

"That is unusual," Sir Launcelot said. "I will need to study this concept."

"Whelp, I see another right now," Grace said as she moved forward of the rest of the team and picked another such wooden amulet up. "Olivia, scan it," she held the rune out to where Olivia could take a picture of it with her tablet's integral camera.

The result took five seconds. "No matching record of type," Olivia read off the screen results when they came back.

"Take no chances. Stow it, we shall have a professional examine it for type at a later time," Sir Launcelot said. "Onward to the next car."

Car 14 (Luggage) (1008) (Evacuated 1 Recruit) (+1 minute negotiation)  
Car 15 (Luggage) (1012) (Collected abandoned Harris M-87 Sniper Rifle, Tactical Vest Set)  
Car 16 (Luggage) (1015) (Irina H. collected 1 Casull Fieldgrade Revolver for personal collection)  
Car 17 (Luggage) (1018) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)  
Car 18 (Luggage) (1021) (Collected 2 unidentified Amulets, 1 Pentagonal SHA Amulet and used) (+1 Minute)  
Car 19 (Luggage) (1024) (Evacuated 4 Bravo Mafia, 9 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 20 (Luggage) (1027) (Evacuated 7 Bravo Mafia) (+2 mins negotiation) (Collected 2 unidentified Amulets)  
Car 21 (Luggage) (1032) (Evacuated 3 Recruits) (Collected 2 unidentified Amulets)  
Car 22 (Luggage) (1035) (Evacuated 3 Civilians, 1 Recruit)

As soon as the door opened, the entry operator was hit with the very distinct aroma of the deceased. "Faugh! What the fuck?" Leander shouted in dismay.

"Holy shit," Olivia bent over a low-hanging luggage rack and started puking her breakfast out.

"What the hell is that smell?" Irina asked after it reached her.

"Death," Sir Launcelot said, the only person in the group to have smelled it en masse before joining Sigma. "That is absurdly disgusting, I would wager that body has been putrefying for over a week."

"Dead kid," Orla said as she entered the room and ran her weapon light across the downed body. "Wait, didn't the boss and Clint get shot at by a kid — "

"Yeah, a kid with two revolvers," Irina answered between heaves of her own.

"The child in question fired a revolver empty toward the Militiamen, then tried to New York Reload before he was gunned down by Hess and Jamieson," Virtue informed them by radio. "I have issued door release commands on all exterior doors in the 523 Train and activated the ventilation blowers in the undercroft, so the stench should begin clearing out shortly. For now, I advise holding your breath while you pass the 22 car."

"Fucking wonderful plan, can we get some gas masks or something?" Olivia groused.

"Ordering now, I will have a maintenance runner bring them to you in a forward car," Virtue said.

"All right, people, finish vomiting, breathe deep, and move for the far door," Leander said. "Don't step in the dead body funk, or we'll be chased by the raunch until the end of the train."

Car 23 (Luggage) (1040) (Evacuated 7 Bravo Mafia, 3 Delta Mafia) (Collected 1 unidentified Amulet, 1 Size Amulet, 1 Triangle Size Amulet) (+2 minutes)

"Oh, fuck me sideways! That stanks!" Leander said.

"If that one kid was bad, wait until we get into some of the later cars where the Americans killed a dozen or more," Lotta groused.

"Gods help us when that time comes," Amanda groused.

"Running the dead body gauntlet," a guy in the car and not of the team said. Amanda looked up at the speaker, and was much surprised that she hadn't noticed him on entry (or she was too busy retching to notice). "The worst one is the mess that American fatboy left in Car 107, 18 dead in a small space. You literally have to walk across the top edge of the metro benches to avoid the remains of the dead."

"That will suck dicks, 'cause we have to go through that." Leander straightened up after he had finished getting a breath of freshened air.

"On a happier note, where do we go to sign up for Militiaman service?" the guy asked. "My Remington shotgun can certainly do the job, if there is somewhere to follow him to."

"Mister, it's your lucky day," Melva said, the first thing she had to say in some distance through the train. "Through that door, head up toward the Induction Center. We have troops who can direct you to quarters and the registration board."

"Got it," he said. "Shake it easy, we'll be in the fight soon enough," he said with a chuckle before he dropped out of the luggage car and onto the platform. Seven members of the Bravo Mafia joined them on the trip toward the induction area.

Car 24 (Luggage) (1045) (Evacuated 3 Charlie Mafia, 1 Recruit) (Collected 1 unidentified Amulet, collected and used 1 quad Shape Amulet) (+1 Minute for Negotiation)  
Car 25 (Luggage) (1049) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)  
Car 26 (Luggage) (1052) (Evacuated 8 Bravo Mafia, 10 Delta Mafia, 5 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 27 (Luggage) (1055) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)

The entry into the 27 Luggage car was smooth and rapid, much as Clint had trained into the team for several days prior to today.

The result of entering the car, not so simplistic.

The one occupant of the luggage pile picked up and raised a spear of some kind. "I will not be taken alive by Slavers!" the lady in question aimed her pike squarely to Sir Launcelot's chest. "If you want my life, my body, come and take it!"

"Whoa, serious?" Leander asked in shock.

"Stay thy blade, milady, we are not Slavers," Sir Launcelot said immediately. "We are rescue and extraction soldiers."

"I said I will not be taken alive by Slaver — " she choked up midsentence. "You're… Not Slavers?"

"No," Sir Launcelot said. "We are the Order of the Rail Guard of the Protectorate of Sigma," the Knight declared solemnly. "Much as with the American Militiamen, we are hunting Slavers and clearing persons from the Trains."

"Oh," she grumped, then dropped her spear. "I apologize for the overt threat. I surrender myself to your graces, sirs," she said formally and with a bow.

"Sir, interpretation?" Leander asked the Knight in their ranks.

"She is surrendering to ourselves for such blatantly hostile conduct when not warranted, but even that is unneeded in this case. Stand at ease, milady, and depart the train for the Induction Center forward of the Train Engines. With such a spirit of honor, I foresee you being able to make a difference in coming campaigns."

"As ordered, sir," she said formally, and was out the door shortly thereafter.

Car 28 (Luggage) (1059) (Evacuated 2 Civilians, 5 recruits) (+2min Negotiation) (found and used 1 Triangle Shape Amulet)  
Car 29 (Luggage) (1104) (Evacuated 5 Civilians, 2 Recruits, 7 Bravo Mafia, 4 Delta Mafia) (Collected 1 esoteric firearm, 1 unidentified Amulet, collected and used 1 Square Strength Amulet)  
Car 30 (Luggage) (1107)  
Car 31 (Luggage) (1110) (Evacuated 10 Bravo Mafia, 10 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 32 (Luggage) (1113)  
Car 33 (Luggage) (1116)  
Car 34 (Luggage) (1119)  
Car 35 (Luggage) (1122) (collected and used 1 Square Strength Amulet)  
Car 36 (Luggage) (1125)  
Car 37 (Luggage) (1128) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 38 (Luggage) (1131) (Evacuated 2 Delta Mafia, 2 Recruits) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 39 (Luggage) (1135) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 40 (Luggage) (1138)  
Car 41 (Luggage) (1141)  
Car 42 (Luggage) (1144)

"Whoa, hold the phone people," Grace said after she walked past some kind of a small box that had been split open, revealing its contents. She flicked her tactical light on, which put 200 lumens of light on the contents of the inside of the box.

"You have got to be shitting me," Amanda said. She tore open the rest of the box, labeled 'CRAM canned meat product (1)' but the revealed object was most definitely not food.

"I believe, what we have here, is a smuggling ring we just inadvertently busted open," Leander said casually. "18 of these are Line Strength Amulets (2), but these two are different," he set two colored Amulets aside — one black, one deep blue.

"Holy shit," Olivia said after she picked up the deep blue Amulet. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a pure can of whoopass. This symbol is the interdimensional common depiction of Waterga, the most powerful base-element water attack spell, and the highlight for the spell is a decahedron. Ten uses before the rune burns out."

"And the black one?" Leander asked.

"No clue, I don't recognize the symbol," she admitted.

"So, what do we do with the Strength amulets in the shipping unit?" Orla picked one up and looked at it.

"I would actually suggest we don't use any more," Olivia said. "Let's wait a day or two, make sure the ones we've used so far result in changes we want — there is a bit of random play in how these affect each person, so I recommend we do no more. Just collect them, and Sigma One can determine how to use them going forward."

Olivia's recommendation was prescient — the side effects of the used amulets so far were already beginning to take hold on the personnel, never mind the actual primary intended effects. Come the following morning, every operator of their team would be able to pass the physical requirements for Basic Training, something which they could not pass beforehand.

Car 43 (Luggage) (1149) (Collected 2 unidentified Amulets)  
Car 44 (Luggage) (1152) (Evacuated 1 Bravo Mafiosi, 5 Delta Mafiosi, 8 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 45 (Luggage) (1155) (Evacuated 1 Civilian, 1 Bravo Mafiosi) (+4min Negotiations) (Collected 2 unidentified Elemental Amulets)  
Car 46 (Luggage) (1202)  
Car 47 (Luggage) (1205) (Evacuated 10 Delta Mafia) (+2min Negotiations)  
Car 48 (Seats, 2 Level) (1210) (Evacuated 14 Delta Mafia) (+1min Negotiations)  
Car 49 (Seats, 1 Level) (1214) (Evacuated 10 Delta Mafia, 4 Charlie Mafia) (+2min Negotiation)  
Car 50 (Seats, 2 Level) (1220) (Evacuated 12 Delta Mafia, 9 Charlie Mafia)

-x-x-x-

(Same time)  
(Induction Center, Base Boarhound, Terra 232)  
(Day 9 of Campaign)

Elata found the massive Railhead Undercroft to be a bit intimidating, but on the face of it, there was an unstated thrill to the action here that was alluring to her to an unholy degree.

Born on the Train, the child of a fling between her mother and a long-deceased Delta Mafiosi, all she had ever known was the Train, the brief glimpses of the outside she saw from time to time, and her family. Her mother, Subaru, had been a volunteer to enter the Train, a deal between her village and a band of Slavers that had inadvertently stalemated themselves when trying to raid her village for Slaves. Prior to that fateful day, Mama Subaru always spoke of her former life in glowing terms, having been an engineering and technician student on her way to a specialty in Mobile Suit Technical Engineering.

Elata was the oldest surviving of Subaru's children, four survivors out of ten. Elata had no qualms with that thought; the Trains had no actual medical support, and even a minor cut that became infected could be lethal under the wrong circumstances. For that reason, Subaru kept the group to a very strict regimen of proper meals, exercise, hygiene, and learning, that if they ever had a proper chance to leave the Train, they could (theoretically) hit the ground running. Elata didn't expect her hit-and-miss education would pass any actual standard, but she could read Japanese and English with ease and speak those languages just the same. She was also a natural at teaching, so she often helped her mother with the lessons for her younger siblings.

Alvin and Jack, the two surviving boys, were the closest in ages of any of the family, at 13 years 9 months and 12 years 3 months respectively, but the farthest apart in personality that Elata could figure possible. Jack, despite mother's coaching to live a quiet and unobtrusive life, had quickly gained position and reputation in the Charlie Mafia as a down-and-dirty hardass willing to ambush Slavers whenever possible, enough so that the Bravos and Deltas did not screw with him despite his youth. He was also the only one of the family not completely Human, as his light blue hair attested — his father, a Nymph, had been caught in the crossfire between feuding Bravo Mafia cells not long after Jack was born.

Alvin, incorrigibly, served as 'bird dog' for Jack by using his various charms, persuasions and Psionic skills to garner information almost at whim. Between the two, the major success of the Charlie Mafia on their train could be attributed to knowing thine foes and ambushing them at whim. And, sadly, there were a lot of foes on the Trains to exercise those skills on, they had learned over the years. Of the family, he was probably the least given to continual personal interactions, mainly because he preferred isolation to calm his Psionic skills or he wanted to be using them full-bore. His complaint was that not using them directly make the hearing skills distracting of what he was doing at the time.

Kaitlyn, the other sister, was slightly past halfway between 7 and 8. She was the blank slate of the family so far, young enough to have excellent potential and sharp enough to be able to take proper use of it. On the other hand, she was very much shy, though not withdrawn; she got along well enough with the other kids on the train, but she didn't go actively looking to play with them, in contrast to the rest of the family. Some days, Elata wondered if that was a problem, or if it was just her predisposition to be alone.

Mama Subaru was the family constant — she kept them together, she defended them, and kept them pushing forward for a better future. Behind the sights of an old MDBS-04 double-barrel combat shotgun, she was hell on Slavers and kidnappers alike. Elata had to admit, Subaru was also a pervert to a degree that didn't make sense to the eldest daughter. To her knowledge, her mother had not met a guy yet that she wasn't willing to sleep with, which didn't really sound like it matched what her home life was supposed to have been prior to being surrendered to the Slavers. On the flip side, it was that perversion that resulted in four surviving children to a very loving mother, which Elata had to admit wasn't a bad thing in an environment where more children were separated from parents or orphaned than could claim they still stayed with the rest of their family.

"Up these stairs and to the right is the registration room," an Armored Infantryman directed the latest batch of persons upstairs past the fusion reactors.

"That armor is amazing, and scary," Elata said.

"Armored Infantry," Subaru declared. "This must be a Protectorate of the Magi. The signs say Sigma, but these troops are all Magi."

As the four children stepped up from the Engine Room and into the building hallway, they caught sight at range of two figures leaving a different hallway and headed up stairs. Elata recognized the guy of the two as the big American that had pushed through the train, though dressed and outfitted differently, he still looked every bit as intimidating as he had on the way through the Train those days ago.

"Elata, no dawdling," her mother chided the eldest daughter. Elata smartened to move up her pace, wanting to explore the new location but the task at hand prevented any hard exploration.

The trip to the induction center was fast and short — more Armored Infantry were waiting for them to make sure they ended up in the right place. The actual induction center was surprisingly large and opened up, with a large assembly area for people to congregate and ten or so tables set up for the people to speak with representatives of the Protectorate. What had resulted was a big melting pool of personnel coming off two different trains that was slowly leaking out to the tables to speak with the Sigma representatives.

"Are these all Charlie Mafia?" Jack asked.

"The other train, is it only Charlie Mafia?" Elata asked after considering the absolute glut of armed children in the group.

"Weebs, actually," one of the kids said. "Shortened for 'wee brats', what the adults thought about us before we booted the militant ones."

"Awesome!" Jack said. "You signing up to join Sigma?"

"Fuck yes, son!" the same kid said. "Who in their right mind would turn down a professional career doing what we did on the Trains?"

"Someone in their right mind, maybe?" Subaru said. "I'm done with getting shot at. I'm going to see if I can get into a noncombat posting, even if it means scrubbing toilets."

"To each his own," a passing Magi Armored Infantryman said. "The whole point of this is literally 'to each his own'. You have a trade and want back in, sign up for it. You want into Sigma and are of age for it, sign up. Want to go civilian? Your call."

"Thank you, sir," Subaru gave him a short bow, hoping she wasn't flashing the Armored Infantryman too much cleavage. "I wonder if there is an opening for a former Mobile Suit Engineer trainee?"

"I would think so?" Elata guessed. "No decent force worth talking about would not have Mobile Forces of some kind."

-x-

For Jeff Evans, today was a day off from the tasks of engineering, and a day on duty as a rump HR specialist. Same with the rest of the Engineering group, except for the Rail Beacon team, who were already on the job setting up the third beacon. With thirty lines under the base, the intention was to set up 6 beacons and use the other 24 lines for train clearing and disassembly. Being a third of the way into the line setup was a damn good start.

The crowd of incoming persons from the Trains had reached something of an equilibrium, whereby there was a knot of persons in the staging area of the room, but it wasn't expanding; the incoming persons were simply filling in for who had already been sorted through. The cast of persons coming in were very child-heavy, and so far Jeff could understand why: the second train had suffered something of an organized revolt of Charlie Mafia. (They referred to themselves as 'Weebs' in their own parlance, nevermind the American internet translation into 'weeaboos' which was a rather derogatory term, the present use of the term was a contraction of 'wee brats' and sounded something British to an American.) With the coming of the kids, Jeff had quickly learned that this job was very heavy on the 'graceful sinking of personal desires' requirement, as every tween and teen that had walked up to himself so far swore up and down that they were ready for action, pick your field. Jeff's job was to sort out the wheat from the chaff, and the chaff would be rotated into schooling until they were ready for proper placement.

So, when he waved to an older lady that looked like she had been around the block a couple dozen times, he was mildly surprised that she had four children in tow and wasn't surprised that she conducted herself with some humility. "Thank you, sir. Subaru Annoe, former Multimage citizen."

"Welcome to Sigma," Jeff said. "And congratulations on keeping your family intact on the train," he said after he realized that all four of the children were easily her sons and daughters. "Now, since you already know you are a Magi citizen, first thing we need to check off, do you want an extraction home?"

"Nineteen years away," Subaru said. "No, I will not return home, not yet."

Jeff made that annotation. "Okay, do you want anyone contacted?"

"No, it is better that nobody in my family come looking for me, there is a history there and I don't want to activate it," she said cryptically.

"Got it," Jeff said. "Next, I guess you will want to stay together as a family?"

"Yes!" all five of them said at the same time.

"Okay, no mistaking that one, so we'll set you up in quarters for enlisted," Jeff said. "So, next on the list…" he checked several things that would be obvious on the face of it. "Ages."

"39," Subaru said.

"Seventeen," Elata answered.

"Your name?" Jeff asked.

"Elata Annoe," she answered calmly.

"Okay, since you are over sixteen, we'll have to run you through your own registration if you want into Sigma," he said. "Read and write well?"

"I believe so," Elata answered. Jeff handed her a tablet computer. "Registration forms?"

"Everyone that joins up has to register," Jeff explained. "And I'm going to guess offhand that you three are under 16?" Jeff waved a finger at the other siblings.

"Yes, sir. Alvin Annoe, 13," the elder brother said.

"Jack Annoe, 12," the younger brother said.

"Kaitlyn Annoe, 7."

"Okay," Jeff reached behind himself and pulled a card, which he inserted into the desk interface. "I'll set you up an identifier card, which you can use to register the children. Kaitlyn is old enough to join Basic Schooling, and you two are going to probably drop into Academy or join a child labor group if you want to go that way."

"Child labor is allowed?" Subaru asked. "Oh, same as with the Multimage Empire."

"Same as all of them, just varying ages," Jeff pointed out. "You can go into a job and do night classes, or go into a trade school or academy and work a part-time job or racket on your own after hours."

"Anything hot right now, sir?" Jack asked bluntly.

Jeff shook his head. "Not yet, we're still building up. If you want to get in on the lead positions of industrial work, now would be a good time. The Boss is a major proponent of local manufacturing."

"I was thinking maybe Industrial Academy and work a night job," Jack said with a nod. "How hard is the schooling?"

"Not bad," Jeff said. "More focus on practical skills than higher learning, for now. Sigma Three is working on bringing in some university campuses, but that will take time."

Subaru looked up from the tablet she was working on. "Do you have positions open for a Mobile Suit Technician Apprentice? One with some engineering training?"

Jeff nodded twice. "Yeah, we need technicians and engineers."

"Then I stand as your first volunteer," Subaru said immediately.

-x-

(30 minutes later)  
(BEQ 17-33, Base Boarhound East, Terra 232)

One of the Secret Service operators had accompanied the family to the BEQ that they had been assigned, literally down the block from Subaru's posting in the Engineering Building. For Mama Annoe, it was a short walk to work and back, even obviating the need for a personal vehicle — but she would get one anyway, once her budget was established. School for the three youngest would be about a half-mile jog one way, nothing spectacular.

The Secret Service operator was no formality — more than one coyote had been found in the barracks buildings, and Black Widow spiders were also known to be in the area, so the search was pretty much a requirement. Still, after a careful ten-minute sweep of the building, the only actual threat found was a single Brown Recluse spider that was easily smashed and smeared underfoot by the Bronze Dragon in Human form.

"Think I dropped the only actual threat, the rest is just dust and vacuum work," Moira said after she came out of the building to meet the family. "Heard you volunteered to join the engineering and technician groups?"

"I did, yes," Subaru answered with a smile. "So good to be back to using what skills I trained in! Though, that was almost twenty years ago for me, I'll need some serious practice."

"You'll get it, easily. The Boss isn't making any noise about it right now, but he does intend to start forming up Mobile Forces units shortly — he will need to, we will need the firepower for some of the contracts out there."

"Oh, thanks for the warning. Also, how hard is he to work for?" Subaru asked. "That is the big, big American, right?"

"Yeah, that's him. He's a very easygoing guy, very reasonable, doesn't pester people. He expects results but he won't hammer on people for them — or for failure, so far as I can tell."

"That's good news, I don't know how much use I'll be offhand."

Moira shook her head. "Don't worry about it, this whole thing's a startup. I've got stuff to see to, so I must be off. Good luck!" Moira nodded to the kids and disappeared, likely _**blinked**_ away from them.

"That was… wow," Jake said.

"Damn hot," Alvin said.

"And well out of any of our league," Elata brought a hard end to that train of thought.

"Let's go," Subaru said in a strange fashion. The kids did not miss the voice stress, but did not dawdle on the sidewalk as their mother approached the house.

Inside the front door, the five member family arrayed around the dirty front room, but they did not see the dust or the stains that needed to be cleaned. The five saw only a proper house not a bedroom car on a Train. They didn't see a galley car, they saw a proper kitchen and dining room.

After the weight of relief struck her, Subaru collapsed to her knees on the living room carpet. "Mother?" Elata asked.

"Safe. Finally safe!" Subaru shouted in happiness.

-x-x-x-

Car 51 (Seats, 2 Level) (1224)  
Car 52 (Seats, 2 Level) (1228) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafia) (+1min negotiations)  
Car 53 (Single Sleeper Car, 15 Rooms) (1231) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 2 Bravo Mafia, 7 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 54 (Baths, Individual Rooms) (1234)  
Car 55 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 Rooms) (1237)  
Car 56 (Baths, Enclosed Stalls) (1240)  
Car 57 (House Car, 1 floor) (1243) (Evacuated 9 civilians) (+6min negotiation)  
Car 58 (Dining Car) (1251) (Evacuated 25 civilians, 1 Delta Mafia, 2 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 59 (Seats, 1 Level) (1253) (Evacuated 14 Delta Mafia, 3 recruits)  
Car 60 (Seats, 2 Level) (1255) (Evacuated 8 Delta Mafia, 3 Charlie Mafia) (+2min negotiations)  
Car 61 (Seats, 1 Level) (1301)  
Car 62 (Seats, 1 Level) (1303) (Evacuated 4 recruits)  
Car 63 (Seats, 1 Level) (1305) (Evacuated 2 Delta Mafia) (+3min negotiation)  
Car 64 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1310)  
Car 65 (Baths, Gender Split) (1312) (Evacuated 4 Bravo Mafia) (+6min encounter)

The entry to the latest car was smooth and precise, with hundreds in practice and over 60 in reality, the team was sharpened up almost to the point of routine operations for clearing train cars.

The bathroom cars were all set up roughly the same, even if the actual bath areas were arranged differently from car to car. The walk path went to starboard, the actual shower area was on the port side to maximize open area for the shower equipment. The presence of steam in the air told the entry team that someone had left a shower on.

"Team one, male side, team two, female side," Sir Launcelot said as he moved forward to ensure control on the door to the next car.

"Aye aye," Leander said as his team stacked and entered the male side of the car.

Olivia remained with Sir Launcelot until the turnoff to enter the female side, then she broke left and made her entry. The steam in the access corridor to the female bathrooms was very thick, almost to the point of sauna clouding, which put the anti-fog coating on the goggles they all wore to the test. Olivia, Grace, Irina, and Orla all entered in the space of a second and a half, doing their usual enter and clear as quickly and efficiently as possible to bring shock and awe to the occupants of the room…

...Who were not paying any attention to anything except themselves. Four ladies were down on the tile floor of the bathroom, paired off in two pairs, one couple laying splayed out and spread-eagled, the other pair were making bacon under a running shower head.

None of the Rail Guard troops said a word for thirty seconds, they simply stared in shock at what was going on in front of them. "Damn, now this is something," Irina half-moaned, her UMP40 loosely aimed toward the two ladies who were trying to 'trib' each other.

"Holy shit!" the lady on top shouted when she realized who had said what. When she scrambled up to her knees, Olivia guessed her dangling bust size on the order of an F-cup, probably larger, which put her either a citizen of the Star Empires or descended of one (given how rare such sizes were outside of the Star Empires, it was unlikely she was from elsewhere in Existence).

"Oh, wow! Don't hurt us! We're harmless!" one of the ladies said.

"We'll go back to being slaves," the smallest of the four said. "Don't shoot us, we'll go — "

"Whoa, whoa!" Olivia said, immediately lowering her aimpoint from the larger of the two spread-eagled ladies. "We're not here to harm you or capture you for slavery," she said. "We are Sigma Rail Guard, we're here to evacuate the train. You are not going to be arrested, confined, enslaved, nothing."

"Wait, evacuate the Train? Why, is something wrong?" the lady with the F-rack asked as she stood up to proper standing. At full and proper posture, Olivia could tell she was a bit on the heavy side, but most guys would not kick her out of bed unless she was better on the floor.

"Yeah, these trains suck the dick and need to be disassembled, so sayeth the Executors," Orla said. "Sigma has been contracted to clear, scrap, and part out these Trains. That means you four need to take your bacon frying to a house up topside." To emphasize the point, Orla jerked her thumb toward the door.

"We're not…" the youngest of the four began, but bit off whatever she was going to say. At standing, Irina guessed her in the neighborhood of 28, 5'7", 140 pounds or thereabouts, and forward perky enough to cause second looks. "We're not in trouble, are we?"

"Pfft, hell no," Olivia answered immediately. " 'Bout the worst thing you could be accused of is being family-inappropriate viewing, maybe public indecency, but you're in a bathroom so there is some small shred of expectation of privacy so that could be argued."

"Ehh, that'd be arguable, public bathroom," Grace commented. "No, not going to arrest you or anything. We do have to have you dry off, get dressed, and de-ass the Train, please. After you've gone through refugee induction, you can grab a flat up top and get back to working each other over."

"Right. We're seriously not going to be forced into slavery or anything?" the physically heaviest of the four ladies asked. Irina guessed her on the north side of 165, and not as well-endowed as the Star Empire resident, but hardly unmanageable or skankish.

"You are now in a Protectorate that is guaranteed by the Multimage Star Empire," Grace said, which caused the large-bust lady to gasp. "The Protectorate is commanded by an American who went out of his way to kill the Slavers on this train. Your rights, your honor, all are guaranteed so long as you don't make any more bacon in public areas. He might have something to say about that."

Olivia giggled at a random thought that came to mind, of what exactly Hess would have to say about stumbling across some ladies having at it in a public area.

"Okay, understood."

Olivia pointed to the benches on the far back wall of the room, where they had laid out towels, clothes, and their personal arms. "Get cleaned up and get moving, girls. Daylight's wasting. And kill these showers!"

The entry team had no idea that the audio from their recording went out on the train intercom, and full video and audio was being recorded from their body cameras to the Sigma database servers. The difference would be apparent, though: with Olivia's team's honorable resolution to the encounter, the rest of the train would become significantly more friendly to the Rail Guard teams.

Car 66 (Single Sleeper Car, 15 rooms) (1320) (Evacuated 13 civilians)  
Car 67 (Baths, Gender Split) (1322)  
Car 68 (House, 1 Level) (1324) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 69 (Lounge Car) (1326) (Collected and stowed 3 Amulets)  
Car 70 (Seats, 2 Level) (1330) (Evacuated 11 Delta Mafia, 7 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 71 (Seats, 2 Level) (1334) (Dead body dodging — +1 minute)  
Car 72 (Seats, 2 Level) (1339)  
Car 73 (Seats, 1 Level) (1341)  
Car 74 (Seats, 1 Level) (1343) (Evacuated 15 Bravo Mafia, 4 Charlie Mafia)

The entry into the 74 car was textbook — four troops in, four stacked to follow up if needed.

The contents of the car, though, caused an immediate halt to the clearing action. "Oh, whoa, it's the heroes of the Shower Room!"

"Wait, what?" Leander asked.

"Not you, dweeb, the ladies in back," the Bravo Mafiosi came off her scoped AR-10 and waved at the doorway.

"Coming up," Olivia said. Leander's team parted ways to allow the second entry team through. "How are we heroes? All we did is explain the law."

"It's what you didn't do," the lady with the AR-10 answered as she came to full standing. The scoped battle rifle wasn't her only card to play, she had a Remington 1100 semi-auto shotgun over her shoulder and some kind of a pistol in appendix carry. "You didn't kill the four you found. That's an improvement over the average. Hell, you didn't even say anything bad about what they were doing."

Olivia shrugged. "I've got no opinion on it," she said. "Not my game, not my place to comment."

"Same here, not my game, no comment," Grace answered.

"I'll watch, but I'm a guy-chaser," Orla said with a perfectly straight face.

"Two of my sisters were lesbian. I got nothing against it," Irina shrugged.

"Can I watch?" Leander asked.

"Dweeb of the year," the lady with the AR-10 saluted Leander. "Any price to pay to join Club Sigma?"

"Play by the rules, don't try leeching on the system, and don't piss in anyone else's rights," Leander said. "Signup is out the door, up top in the Induction Center."

"Got it. Come on girls, put the milk tanks away and button up, we're heading out to new homes!" a lady wearing IIIA body armor and carrying a magnum-frame pistol half-shouted at the occupants of the car.

"I'm beginning to wonder," Leander said offhand as the Bravo Mafia and a few Charlie Mafia in the room headed for the doors.

"I'm already there," Olivia said. "A few more Trains like this, and we could be in for some really interesting times."

"Chivalry was once meant to guide the hands of a Knight in doing his sworn duty to God, King, and Country, but after spending a year on this Train, I see all of that in a very different light today," Sir Launcelot said with gravity. "God works in mysterious ways, but something like this is no mystery — it is a mailed gauntlet slap to the face. It is only proper and honorable that we do what we can to help those living a dragged existence on these hellish chariots."

"One remaining, I've got this," Amanda said as she moved forward with her weapon slung, to make sure she appeared as unthreatening as possible to the Charlie Mafiosi. Once she was at the seat, Amanda sat down on the opposite bench so she could look the Charlie in the face.

Both Sigma and Charlie were silent for about fifteen seconds, before the young teenager spoke up. "I can't go. No proper society would abide a murderer."

"How so?" Amanda asked.

"This," the Charlie lifted a sub-gun off the metro bench next to her, to where it could be easily seen by the Sigma troops. The weapon in question was a UMP45 with a suppressor, a virtual twin to the UMP40 sub-guns carried by the Sigma Rail Guard except in caliber and magazine size. "I found a slaver alone in a seat car toward the front of the Train, so I snuck up behind him, put the silencer to the back of his head, and fired. A couple Deltas helped me stuff the body out the window. I took this off him," she lifted a Beretta 9000 from the bench next to her sub-gun, "so I guess that makes me both a grave robber and a murderer."

"You know it was a slaver?" Amanda asked quietly.

The Charlie Mafiosi nodded her head. "He had four of the Heart Tattoos, and was working on a fifth on his back."

"If you can find the two Deltas that can confirm it, you can collect a 100 C-bill bounty on his demise," Amanda said. "What's your name, young one?"

"Colette," she said, still looking at the floor.

"Hold your head up, Colette. It is not murder when you act to save lives."

Colette did look up, but she was angry. "I killed him for vengeance! Not for any purpose that — " she bit the rest of the sentence off. "I can't do it. I just can't."

"Ask yourself one question, Colette. Who would accuse you of murder, besides yourself?"

"Who would not?" she asked, again staring at the floor.

"I would not," Amanda said. "I think you saved lives. I'm pretty sure the rest of my team would not speak against you."

"Nope," Olivia acknowledged. "One less Slaver in Existence means we're that much safer at night."

"We could always ask Sigma One what he thinks?" Amanda offered.

"Who?"

"Sigma One, Erich Hess, he commands the Protectorate. At the end of the day, he has final say on who gets charged for crimes, or where the boundary between criminal and proper conduct is." Amanda sat up straight and tapped the radio switch on her chest. "Sigma One from Rail Guard 2-5, legal question when available," she said.

"Go for Sigma One," the reply came back three seconds later.

"Sir, have a question about shoot / no shoot policy. Have a person on the Train that bushwhacked a Slaver while he was asleep with a silenced UMP45 and shoved the body out the window. Does bushwhacking a Slaver, even while asleep, count as murder?"

"Negative. Our Contract from the Executors is to neutralize all Slavers, dead or alive does not factor into it, nor does how the Tango ends up dead factor into the matter. If anything, I would say the person on the train that drilled the Slaver has done a properly good deed for Existence; the faster we eliminate the Slaver scourge, the more lives are saved over time. How copy?"

"Clean copy, Sigma One," Amanda answered immediately. "Rail Guard 2-5 has no further traffic."

"Watch your ass, Rail Guard. Sigma One is out."

"It still doesn't feel right," Colette groused.

"It likely will not ever feel right," Amanda said. "We do what we do because we have to, not because it feels right. If killing a man feels right, you have mental problems," the Phoenix in human form said succinctly. "That pang of guilt you carry is a reminder that you have a conscience and a heart, two things sorely lacking in Slavers. You can self-loathe for drilling a Slaver, but the world around you is willing to welcome you regardless of your past — and you will meet many who will thank you for it."

Colette simply shook her head. "I don't think there is anything worth thanking in that."

"Then, maybe it is you are not a proper soul for the trigger," Amanda guessed. "Maybe it would be proper for you to live a quiet Existence, then? One where you are not required to be staring down the sights."

This caused the Charlie Mafiosi to look up from the floor again. "There are such options?"

"Certainly," Amanda answered. "A nation does not simply exist on its military, there are many behind-the-scenes duties that must be fulfilled. I am assured that with your sense of proper conduct, you can find the right thing to do to help the world along. It may take a while, you could do job apprenticeship while attending an academy, but it is certainly doable."

Colette nodded. "You are a persistent lady, Rail Guard. Why?" she asked bluntly.

"I have watched friends consumed by guilt, fear, hatred, perversion, greed. You have no need to follow that nasty highway to Hell," Amanda said evenly.

"I will try." Colette stood up, grabbed up her arms, and headed for the doors.

Amanda waited thirty seconds before she stood up. "If she was afraid to kill again, she would have left her guns. She just needs to get over the self-loathing phase of bushwhacking a scumdog, and she'll be back on her proper path."

"And what is her proper path?" Irina asked after a moment of considering it.

"Whatever she wants as a path."

Car 75 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 Rooms) (1346) (Evacuated 9 Bravo Mafia, 10 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 76 (Bathrooms, Individual Rooms) (1349) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 77 (Single Sleeper Car, 15 rooms) (1352) (Evacuated 6 Bravo Mafia, 2 Delta Mafia, 1 recruit) (+1 min negotiations)  
Car 78 (Bathrooms, Gender Split) (1355)  
Car 79 (House, 2 level) (1401) (Evacuated 1 civilian) (Collected 2 unidentified amulets)  
Car 80 (Dining Car) (1405) (Evacuated 17 civilians, 2 recruits)  
Car 81 (Seats, 1 Level) (1407)  
Car 82 (Seats, 2 Level) (1411)  
Car 83 (Seats, 2 Level) (1415) (Evacuated 5 Bravo Mafia)  
Car 84 (Seats, 2 Level) (1419) (Evacuated 1 civilian, 1 recruit)  
Car 85 (Seats, 1 Level) (1421)  
Car 86 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1424) (Evacuated 20 civilians)  
Car 87 (Bathroom, Individual Stalls (20)) (1426) (Evacuated 4 civilians)  
Car 88 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1429)  
Car 89 (Bathroom, Individual Stalls (20)) (1431)  
Car 90 (House Car, 2 Level) (1437) (Evacuated 7 civilians, 5 recruits) (Collected 2 unidentified amulets)  
Car 91 (Lounge Car) (1439)  
Car 92 (Seats, 2 Level) (1443)  
Car 93 (Seats, 1 Level) (1445) (Evacuated 13 Bravo Mafia, 9 Delta Mafia, 2 recruits)

The entry process into the 93 car, a single-level seat car, was textbook. Four in, two-by-two cover formation, with the second element and Launcelot waiting to exploit the breach. All was going according to practice initially, until the entry team saw what was going on in the car.

"Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?" Leander asked after the exact nature of the events he was witnessing came to mind. A boom box and some fairly loud music prevented his question from behind heard outside the use of their tactical radio headsets.

"Is this what I think it might be?" Olivia asked from the doorway.

"I believe so," Irina said from behind her element commander (3).

"You know it's a party when you got a hunky guy out in the aisle, dry-humping a pump shotgun for an audience," Melva said. "I'm actually inclined to watch this."

"Very bad form, actually, but looks legit," Leander said, focusing on one of the nine Delta Mafia troops - this one a very voluptuous lady - playing with a large-frame revolver in the area of her crotch.

So far as the entry team could understand what they were seeing, the car was split with a cell of Bravo Mafia on the port side and a cell of Delta Mafia (4 female, 5 male) on the starboard side. The Deltas were all strip-dancing, to differing degrees of enthusiasm, while the Bravos cheered them on and occasionally flashed their 'rivals' on the other side of the car. The main selling point of the Deltas' 'routine' in this case was the inclusion of their arsenals as props for their dance session, which included more than one 'dry-hump your boomstick' routine.

"Good Gods, I hope they unloaded those weps before they started this flashdance rout-" Olivia was cut off by the sound of a magnum revolver firing off, and it only took a few moments to determine where from. The lady with the magnum had hooked the trigger while she was boffing the grip, and the barrel just happened to be aimed at her left calf. The bullet hole in her leg was significant but not fatal, and the recoil of the revolver had caused it to kick her in the clamshell and spin off over her right shoulder and out a window. "That answers that."

"Move up and provide medical support," Sir Launcelot ordered immediately as someone shut off the boom box and the dance routine ended of its own volition.

"Man oh man, dry-humping the artillery is all fun and games, until one of the boomsticks goes off," Melva commented as she moved forward of the rest of the team.

"Oh my God! They're here!" one of the older Bravo Mafia troopers shouted. "Can you help her?"

"Clear this bench!" Leander pointed to a bench occupied by two of the Deltas, who were quick to jump over the back to another (unused) bench seat. "You and you, help me lift Miss Anaconda here up on this bench, face down," he ordered next, pointing to a pair of Bravos who had their shirts and bras undone for their side of the 'festivities'. His naming convention for her was in reference to the revolver she had shot herself with, a Colt Anaconda.

"Yes sir!" the larger of the two immediately moved to assist in picking the lady up off the ground and flipping her over to face down. "How bad is it?"

"Sir Launcelot, may want to warn those Armored Infantry that the gunshot was not a serious threat," the Element Commander said to his boss, then looked back to the lady that had asked about the wound. "I'm not a medtech, honey, but I can stop the bleeding so the medtechs can see to her," Leander said as he sat down on the edge of the bench across the aisle from the bench she was sitting on. "I couldn't tell you troops how many firearms safety violations I just saw in 30 seconds, but after this negligent discharge GSW, do I need to say anything more?" He asked while he looped a CAT (4) over the upper part of her calf.

"Aaaahhh! It hurts!" She shouted as the CAT was tightened down to slow the flow of blood.

"Maybe next time you want to wank your revolver, you'll unload it first," Leander said as he flopped open his medical kit and selected an Israeli Field Dressing and a gauze pad to put over the wound. Leander used a disinfectant towelette to clean off most of the blood, slapped down the gauze, then wrapped the field dressing around the wound and tied it off, finishing up with a couple passes of waterproof nylon tape to help prevent it from moving.

"Oh my God that hurts!" the lady shouted.

"That's what I can do for it." Leander reached up for his radio switch and tapped it. "Command, Rail Guard Two-Two reporting one injury car 93, negligent discharge GSW to a leg, need medical evac for the wounded."

"Right here," one of the Magi MedTechs said as she approached with a gurney in tow. "Help me get her up on the mattress, and we'll take care of her."

"She is... she will be all right?" one of the Bravos asked.

"She'll be walking with a mack-daddy limp for a month or two, but this should be fully recoverable," the MedTech answered as Leander and two others lifted the still-nude wounded lady onto the gurney, still face-down, for transport.

The Rail Guard team, the Deltas, and the Bravos all watched in silence as the MedTech wheeled her out the door and toward the freight elevator up to the ground floor of the administration building. "Well, that was a complete cock-blocker," the Delta with the pump shotgun said after the wounded lady was out of sight.

Olivia snorted loudly. "Next time you want to diddle your firepower, fucking unload them."

"Better idea, better idea by far, find some other non-dangerous inanimate object to dry-hump," Leander suggested. "Or, hell, find someone that's willing to put up with your advances and wet-hump them. Safer still. Maybe."

"Party is concluded," Sir Launcelot said to the group at large. "I won't even ask what started this perverse dance. Just don your clothing and begone from this train, the induction center will see to you."

Car 94 (Seats, 2 Level) (1452) (Evacuated 14 Bravo Mafia, 9 Delta Mafia, 9 Charlie Mafia, 2 recruits)  
Car 95 (Seats, 2 Level) (1456)  
Car 96 (Seats, 2 Level) (1500) (Evacuated 13 Bravo Mafia, 14 Delta Mafia, 8 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 97 (Single Sleeper Car, 15 rooms) (1503) (Evacuated 12 civilians)  
Car 98 (Bathrooms, Individual rooms (14)) (1506) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 99 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1509)  
Car 100 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1512)

Given the cars were only 16' wide internally, space was at a premium for the contents and the persons inside. A bath car was no different, especially with the room divided up into 14 individual bathrooms, since the causeway past them was only six feet wide on the starboard side of the train. This did not allow troopers to even walk through shoulder-to-shoulder, given the width of their Dragon Scale armor and equipment sets made them too wide for the close quarters.

What the units ended up doing to solve the coverage problem was stagger one trooper inside, one trooper outside, with the outside trooper controlling the length of the car, and the inside trooper checked the rooms. It wasn't a particularly smart solution — one good burst from a light machine gun could strike three or four troops at once — but it was workable and it provided sights on the two main theaters of action in these shower cars.

When the team entered, second element (Olivia) led the way in, and it became Olivia's task to check the doors, while Orla covered forward. The Element Commander made it four doors into the series of fourteen before they were rudely interrupted.

"Eye-OOOHHH!" a guy shouted after he exited one of the bathrooms toward the far end of the car. "Hanzz up! I wan' your guns and valuables!" he shouted with slurred speech, a 1911 in his right hand and a bottle of something (presumably alcohol) in the other. So far as Orla could tell from the distance and angle, his pistol was live, even if his aimpoint was all over the car.

"Oi! Put that gun away! And your other cannon!" Olivia shouted after she took partial cover in the bathroom she just checked and set her gunsights on his chest.

The drunkard fired a shot high, which embedded itself into the ceiling trim halfway between the entry team and the shooter. "I giv — " he didn't have time to complete his sentence before Orla put four rounds into his chest, three of which were centered on his heart. The tango was legally dead before his body hit the ground.

"Well, that was weird," Leander said.

"Jimmy?" A guy asked after he came out of a different bathroom. "What the — You bitches!" He raised a Springfield XD Pistol with light and took aim at the group, even rattled off two rounds and scored one hit against Olivia before Orla silenced him as well. The Elven element commander took a single round in the left forearm, enough to cause her to bolt inside the bathroom and screech in pain, but Orla did better even if not technically proper. Her burst went vertical after she started firing, with the first round of six starting in the shooter's left thigh, the sixth and last round entered his right sinus cavity and shortly thereafter his brain.

"Olivia!" Irina shouted.

"I'm alive! Left arm's out, give me a second to use a spell on myself."

The drill for this kind of event was heavily rehearsed by the teams. Grace moved forward and took cover where Olivia had been, while Olivia healed herself with **Cure** magic. "Two down, any more?" Grace asked.

"Two more, just climbing out of the tubs right now," Irina said, gauging their progress by way of her psionic abilities. "Incoming! Big bore pistol — " The muzzle of a large-frame automatic came around the corner, with just the hand exposed, but only one shot rang out before the drunkard on the trigger lost his grip from the massive recoil of the .50 Action Express cartridge. The round dug into the bathroom door some four doors forward of where Grace was covered, nowhere near a threat of actually hitting one of the troops, but still frightening for the sheer sound of the shot. When the pistol clattered to the ground out in the hall, the shooter drunkenly reached out to pick it up and made himself a target for Olivia and Grace. Two rounds from both Rail Guard troopers to his back and side put an end to that threat.

Number four of the four Delta Mafiosi was not a threat overall, and suffered no gunshots for his troubles. In his haste to join the turkey shoot, the drunkard overbalanced on a wet floor and exited the room face-first and descending. He slammed head and left shoulder into the opposite wall, knocked himself unconscious on the impact, and collapsed to the ground with a sodden thud, revolver in hand and unfired.

"Well, that was impressive," Irina said sarcastically.

"Secure him and call for military police support," Olivia ordered, her arm now restored (but rather sore) courtesy of her high-power magic skills. "Man alive, getting shot sucks! Clint really had the right of it about that."

-x-x-x-

(BEQ 17-33, Base Boarhound East, Terra 232)

Thankfully, their house still had cleaning supplies and appliances in place, so doing a full cleaning was a simple task that didn't require its own run to the PX.

On the other hand, six months of dust, spider webs, and mouse droppings made for one hellish cleaning task. All were involved in the cleaning except Elata, who had been sent to the PX to bring back supplies for the night (food, mostly). Kaitlyn had command of the dusting wand, since it would extend and allow her to reach pretty much anything in the house. Alvin had the task of cleaning all fixtures, surfaces, and furniture with disinfectants and bleach where appropriate, and the use of the steam cleaner on sitting furniture and floors. Jack was tasked to the vacuum and the floor scrubber, two absolutely essential tasks given the mouse infestation this house had suffered.

"How the hell do you use this stuff?" Alvin asked as he looked on at the bottle of toilet bowl cleaner. "Apply cleaner, wait 90 seconds, scrub with toilet brush? Simple enough, I guess." He unscrewed the cap, gave the inside of the toilet a liberal coating of the cleaner, and waited. After a couple minutes looking around the bathroom for other things he still needed to clean, Alvin came back to the toilet and started scrubbing at the build-up. Thirty seconds of effort revealed something he didn't want to think about: "Bullshit! Someone dropped a load in this toilet and never flushed, that must be why I can't get it out!"

"Scrub at an angle," Subaru said from the door.

"What, mom?" Alvin asked after a moment.

"Scrub at an angle, here," Subaru stepped in behind her son and guided his hand on a couple trial scrub passes. "You have to drive the bristles into the mess to get results." A couple more tries and some of the detrius was broke free. "Now you try."

"Here," Alvin resumed scrubbing, this time scrubbing at a 45 degree angle to the surface of the toilet and not straight down into the bowl, but with a clockwise spin. "That worked," he said.

"Keep it up, son. We're on a military base now, our house has to be inspection ready." Subaru leaned up and flexed her back to relieve kinks from clearing and reorganizing cabinets.

Alvin dropped the toilet brush into the toilet and embraced his mother. "I can't believe we made it off the train alive, mom. Thanks for keeping us together."

Subaru embraced her eldest surviving son tighter to her chest. "For now, we're safe, but that can change in an instant. Play by the rules, keep your guard up, and make sure you're doing what is asked of you. If this works out, we may just stay alive," the mother of four still alive and six deceased said with gravity.

"If the American can keep things together, we can make it work."

-x-

(Base PX, Base Boarhound, Terra 232)

"Mom is not going to like me for this, but I gotta have it done," Elata said grudgingly as she pulled the two items and dropped them on the bottom of the cart. One was a large travel suitcase with wheels, the other was a military-style packframe with large rucksack, ample for her to carry quite a bit of material.

The Base PX was a different experience for Elata, but not impossible to understand. It was a large retail store, two levels above ground for shopping and two levels below ground for storage. The entire inventory of the store was listed on the Base Intranet, and was shoppable or reservable for a modest fee, but Subaru knew better than to get into that kind of habit unless absolutely necessary. On the other hand, the active inventory system made things a lot easier for shopping planning, and thus was here.

The good thing about the PX, foodstuffs were listed as free for anything that came out of the Train Food Systems. This was due to Will Transcendent Atrebas ordering the Star League to continue supplying all the Trains until the Executors declared the affair settled. Elata didn't pretend to know much about the politics of the matter, but she swore that she would look into it as soon as she had some free time. Most other material was reasonably-priced as far as she knew of price structures, though salvaged material from the Trains was at a significant markdown from new material.

Everything else was at a fairly good price, or so she figured. The total expenditure for the shopping run would be less than a full month's salary for herself as a Basic Recruit, and even less than what her mother was going to pull in for her Technician and Technical Engineer work. The best part was that most of the purchased items were long term or one-purchase items, not consumables.

But not all were durable goods.

Elata stopped in front of a 'waypoint' on her shopping map generated by the tablet she had been assigned, and looked up at the display area that had been listed. "Okay then, why did mom put these on the list?" Even if she questioned it, the requested items went into the cart for purchase.

-x-

(1 Hour later)  
(BEQ 17-33, Base Boarhound East, Terra 232)

"I'm back!" Elata shouted after she returned to the house.

"Excellent! I need those vacuum bags," Alvin said heartily.

"The refrigerator is cooled down enough to store the cold material, so get it in storage fast," Subaru answered.

"Amazing how far we can go with a little faith and credit, and a good idea what we need."

"We'll have to go clothes shopping tomorrow, after the Salvage Teams bring in the material from the Train Luggage cars," Subaru pointed out. "Except for you, that is," she wagged a finger at her eldest daughter. "Figured out what you intend to do yet, if you're going military?"

"Fighter pilot," Elata said sincerely.

"Okay, fighter pilot," her mother answered. "Justify it."

Elata continued her process of putting the chilled or frozen foodstuffs into the refrigerator while explaining to her mother the plan in her mind. "First, fighter aircraft are fast. This allows me to close with an enemy fast, and to break away fast if needed. Second, I'm not tied to the ground in a way that makes it easy to get caught in combat. Third, fighters carry an immense amount of firepower, so I can change the battlescape in a hurry for my friends. Fourth, some fighters are immensely difficult to kill. Fifth, I can hit an enemy from multiple directions, making it difficult to predict where I am coming in from. Last, if I get good enough to achieve an Ace rating, I'll be raking in just shy of a hundred grand C-bills a year, which is a helluva goal to shoot for. Sound good?"

"You've thought this through," Subaru said. "Good. I don't want to see you in on the ground, it's too much of a risk."

"And I want to make a difference, which means I need to be somewhere where the action is," the eldest daughter said just before she closed the refrigerator.

"Has your application been accepted yet?" Subaru asked.

"Not yet, yours?" Elata said as she began putting the dry goods foodstuffs away.

"Yes. Engineer One was able to pull my education records from my university days, so I have been directed to report to the Engineer's Building tomorrow at 0800."

Elata finished up the remainder of the foodstuffs, then found one last bag in the back of her military backpack set. "Oh yeah, these." The eldest daughter set the bag down in front of her mother. "I didn't think you believed in using these."

"You're right, I don't. And if I end up with a dozen more children, I'll love every minute of it. They're for you," Subaru dropped the bag down on the table in front of her eldest daughter. "I'm homefront, and my job duties will be easy enough that I can get away with working most the way into the third Trimester. If you're going to be in a Fighter long-term, being pregnant is not going to help your flying hours or effectiveness."

"Oh," Elata grumped, never thinking along those lines. Then again… "I don't expect I'll be sleeping with anyone, though."

"Nor did I," Subaru said diffidently. "First time was rough. Second time I don't remember, I was drunk. Third time felt good. Fourth time, I knew I was hooked. And, after my first child was born, I knew I wanted more. What you think now may not match what you think in five years, or the first time you find a guy you really like." The mother nudged the bag toward her daughter. "If you're anything like me, you'll find this to be good exercise and good entertainment, but you don't want to cripple your career doing it. Most guys won't feel too hurt if you ask to use protection. Your call, though."

Elata nodded. It would be a decision she wouldn't make for a while, but she would eventually come to a conclusion.

-x-x-x-

Car 101 (House Car, 2 levels) (1520) (Evacuated 9 Delta Mafia, 1 Charlie Mafia, and 6 civilians)  
Car 102 (Storage Car) (1522)  
Car 103 (Seats, 1 Level) (1524)  
Car 104 (Seats, 1 Level) (1526) (Evacuated 2 Bravo Mafia, 6 Delta Mafia)

"Aww hell yes!" a teenage lady shouted after Leander began his deliberate search down the length of the seat car.

"Wazzap?" Leander asked after the others stood up.

"Which one of you shot Jimmy The Weasel?"

"That was second team," Leander said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "Orla, actually, why?"

"Owe her some serious thanks for taking that douchenozzle out of the gene pool," a late-thirties lady answered as she stood up. "Holy fuck, you guys are a frightening sight!" she gasped after she had a clear view to the entire team.

"I'm here," Orla said as she approached the group of Delta Mafiosi. "What's going on?"

"We need to thank you big time for dealing with Jimmy The Weasel a couple cars back. You did drop him, right? Large guy, my height plus a couple centimeters, carries a custom 1911 in one hand and a bottle of scotch in the other?" The eldest of four Delta Mafiosi ladies asked.

"Aye, that was me," Orla acknowledged.

"On behalf of the Delta Mafiosi on this train, we thank you and we owe you. That douchewagon was a drunkard, carouser, low-level terrorist, rapist, and a highway robber — and you punched his ticket doing three of the above. Thank you! How can we repay you for probating that punk?"

"Damn, just shot a dude shooting in my general direction," Orla said, rather shocked at such accolades.

"Seriously, you've done us all a favor bagging him, and bagging his compatriots," the youngest of the Delta lady Mafiosi said. "That dude has tried sacking each one of us, even tried his nasties on some of the Bravo Mafiosi," she nodded to a pair of Bravo Mafiosi that were sitting elsewhere in the seats, "And we didn't want to take our chances because when they're sober they are lethal."

Orla smirked. "Three are a bit too dead to pose a further threat. The fourth will have some explaining to do to The Boss." She sighed; even if she had been calm and reasonably collected during the shooting, the shooting had stressed her to a severe degree. "As to repayment of a debt, I need none. This is our duty: we clear the Trains, rescue those who can be redeemed, slay those who have earned it. That said, I propose a trade."

"Listening," the elder Delta said.

"Him, actually," Orla pointed to a forty-something guy in Delta Mafiosi colors.

"Uh, me?" the guy asked, surprised.

"Aye, you, or more specifically, your revolver. What is it?"

"Oh, this? Ruger Redhawk, six-inch barrel, .44 Magnum, why?"

"Irina collects revolvers," Orla said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder at the youngest member of the second element. "Irina called the shots, we did the shooting. Normally, the guns and gear of deceased tangos are salvage for the entry teams, so I propose a trade. One of Jimmy's cohorts had a Desert Eagle. Revolver for Pistol sound fair enough?"

"Hell yes!" the guy half-shouted. "I'll definitely take that trade. Which one is Irina?"

"Guilty," Irina waved her left hand to get his attention. The guy handed over his revolver to Irina without much hesitation, satisfied in the trade.

After the guy headed back toward the shower car, Orla looked back to the gathered Delta and Bravo Mafiosi. "This isn't about rewards. It's about doing the right thing for us. You want something to think about, something to rally around, don't rally around a shooter. Become a shooter, someone who is willing to do the right thing with the right arsenal for the right reasons."

Car 105 (Seats, 2 Level) (1534)  
Car 106 (Seats, 1 Level) (1536)  
Car 107 (Seats, 2 Level) (1540)  
Car 108 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1543) (Evacuated 4 Bravo Mafia, 7 Delta Mafia, 16 Civilians)  
Car 109 (Bathrooms, Individual Rooms (14)) (1546)  
Car 110 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1549) (Evacuated 2 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 111 (Bathrooms, Enclosed Stalls (20)) (1551)  
Car 112 (House Car, 1 level) (1555) (Evacuated 6 civilians, 1 recruit)  
Car 113 (Dining Car) (1559) (Evacuated 8 civilians, 3 recruits) (+30min lunch break)

The unit's noses led them into the next car, and in this case it led them to a single, simple conclusion: breakfast was roughly eight hours prior for the team.

"Either that smells real good, or I am excessively hungry," Leander said after he realized where they were.

"Has been a while since breakfast," Melva pointed out with some hope to voice.

"Indeed it has," Sir Launcelot said. "And, the operational regulations do not deny us a break for lunch."

"Then I guess the question is whether or not the cook wants to put up with us," Irina asked loud enough to make sure she had his attention.

"Come, come!" The cook shouted in baltic-accented English. "I will gladly feed the men and women who will pull me off this Train and give me decent job! Come!"

A couple odds-and-ends personnel occupied the tables, though even that was thin pickings — most of the occupants had already departed through the locked-open doors. The bar area was completely clear, so finding nine contiguous seats was no challenge. The troops safed and slung their subguns, making sure they were out of the way to avoid interfering with the chow to come.

"What's the house special, chef?" Leander asked after the troops were seated.

"Ham and Eggs, but I'm pretty flexible," he admitted. "Last week, I had some grilled-to-perfection filet mignon going, had them coming from as far away as car 165 to get a plate."

"How about some Veal Parmesana?" Amanda requested.

"With some mashed potatoes, tomato sauce, and green beans, sound good?" the long-time chef suggested.

"I'm game," Olivia answered.

"Have them ready in twenty," the cook said.

"How is the progress, sir?" Amanda asked Sir Launcelot.

"So far, much less bloody than the first run through the Train," Sir Launcelot said. "Of course, the Americans did most of the bloodletting in their trip through; we are simply cleaning house."

"True, that," Olivia said.

"Better a simple start," Grace said.

Someone behind them cleared his throat. A couple heads and eyes shifted to check out the newcomer. "Excuse me, you're the Sigma Rail Guard team, right?"

"Indeed," Sir Launcelot answered. "How may I help you?"

"Is Sigma hiring? Mage specialists?" the guy asked.

"Aye, definitely," Lotta answered calmly. "You have mage talents already?"

"Some," the guy admitted.

"Up the stairs in the Railhead, speak to the personnel handling the induction area. They'll get you placed," Leander said.

"Thank ye," the guy said. He was out the door in seconds and on the way up the concrete platforms headed toward the front end of the railhead.

"Something was off about that guy," Melva pointed out.

"Phoenix," Amanda answered the standing question. "Specifically, an Eternal Phoenix. I could sense it about his being."

"One Phoenix senses another?" Orla asked.

"Something like that," Amanda half-answered the question.

Car 114 (Seats, 2 Level) (1633) (Evacuated 1 Delta Mafia)  
Car 115 (Seats, 2 Level) (1637)  
Car 116 (Seats, 2 Level) (1641)  
Car 117 (Seats, 2 Level) (1645) (Evacuated 8 Bravo Mafia, 8 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 118 (Seats, 1 Level) (1647) (Evacuated 2 Bravo Mafia, 11 Delta Mafia, 7 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 119 (Single Sleeper Car, 15 Rooms) (1650) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 120 (Bathrooms, Individual Rooms (14)) (1653)  
Car 121 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1656)  
Car 122 (Bathrooms, Individual Stalls (20)) (1658) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 123 (House Car, 1 Level) (1702) (Evacuated 7 civilians)  
Car 124 (Lounge Car) (1704)  
Car 125 (Seats, 2 Level) (1708)  
Car 126 (Seats, 1 Level) (1710)  
Car 127 (Seats, 2 Level) (1714)  
Car 128 (Seats, 2 Level) (1718)  
Car 129 (Seats, 1 Level) (1720) (Evacuated 4 civilians)  
Car 130 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1723) (Evacuated 15 civilians)  
Car 131 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1726) (Evacuated 5 Bravo Mafia, 2 Delta Mafia, 1 Charlie Mafia, 1 Recruit)

"Hell is going on here?" Irina asked after she got into the causeway to the side of the shower rooms and saw only a collection of long arms, a large battery unit connected to an energy rifle, and an open bathroom door nearby the gear.

"Gods Damnit woman! Why are you — Gah! I like the way I — "

"Will you quit your bellyaching, dirty boy?" An older lady shouted over him as the unit approached where the 'action' was.

"What the hell is wrong with you! First you strip me down, now you're demanding I take a bath? I don't smell bad!"

"You're right, you don't smell bad, you smell fucking horrible! And you damn well better get used to it, the Armored Infantry say that hygiene is strictly enforced in the Protectorate!"

"I do not stink!"

"Beer is normally taken internally, John!" a loud splashing sound was heard. "Now, you damn well better do this right and like it, or you'll be doing it at gunpoint next time!"

Irina sidled up to the open doorway and looked in, carefully, to make sure she was not seen. A thirty-something guy was splayed out in a mostly-filled bathtub, being lorded over by a large lady and a teen. Dingy clothes were strewn about, and much in line with the lady's protests, Irina could tell there was a stench in the air.

"Damnit, wench, if I'mma be forced to do this, I'm getting some company out of it!" The guy reached out of the tub, grabbed a hold on the lady's belt, and hauled her into the bathtub with him.

"John, you womanizing oaf! You'll get some company out of this once you clean up! Jesus, it's not like I'm trying to waterboard you."

Irina got a whiff of something on one of his articles of clothing, which immediately caused her to gag. The reaction caused three pairs of eyes to look to her as she rapidly turned green. "Oh, shit, they're here early!"

"Oh shit, she's about to puke!" the elder lady said.

"Toilet, toilet!" Irina shouted as she waved the teen out of the way. The teenage girl was able to clear out of the way fast enough to not be bowled over by the Rail Guard operator, who quickly slammed up the toilet seat and cut loose.

"That's fucking grody," the guy said as the heavily-armed lady offloaded her lunch the hard way.

"I guess that makes opinion of your stench rather unanimous if it's causing the Sigma troops to puke," the lady said as she hauled herself out of the tub. "Now, start scrubbing, dirty boy, or I'll find a toilet brush and do it the hard way."

"You gonna be all right, miss?" the teen asked of Irina.

Irina leaned left until her shoulder hit the wall, then she dropped to her knees and finished her ralf run. "Oh, holy shit, that was not pleasant." The entry team operator straightened up, used a wad of toilet paper to wipe her mouth clean, and flushed the whole mess down the toilet. "Not an experience I want to repeat."

"You will be all right?" the teen asked again.

"I'll live, but there goes a damn good lunch." Irina siphoned five ounces of water out of her water bladder, swilled it around in her mouth, and spit it into the toilet to remove most of the foul taste. Her next action was to trip the radio switch. "Command, Rail Guard 2-9, request for supplies," she said.

"Go for Command," Virtue answered.

"Command, need a hazmat isolation bag for waste disposal and a jumpsuit set for a Male, size large, to include underwear, socks, and boots, how copy?" Irina said after she levered herself to standing.

"Good copy, runner will be there in several minutes with the materials."

Irina used her survival knife to flick the clothes out to a pile in the hallway. "Jesus, I guess it really is that bad."

"I'd say," Orla said from the doorway. "Get yourself scrubbed down, and when the runner brings your new set by, get dressed and get up to the induction center. And keep in mind, most ladies won't sleep with a guy that smells like the south end of a northbound rhinoceros, follow?"

Car 132 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1732)  
Car 133 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1735)  
Car 134 (House Car, 1 Level) (1739) (Evacuated 5 civilians)  
Car 135 (Dining Car) (1743)  
Car 136 (Seats, 1 Level) (1746) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 1 recruit)  
Car 137 (Seats, 2 Level) (1749) (Evacuated 3 civilians) (Collected 2 recognized Amulets, 1 unrecognized amulet)  
Car 138 (Seats, 2 Level) (1753)  
Car 139 (Seats, 2 Level) (1757)  
Car 140 (Seats, 2 Level) (1801) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 141 (Single Sleeper Car, 15 rooms) (1804) (Evacuated 19 civilians, 7 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 142 (Baths, Individual Stalls (20)) (1806) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 143 (Baths, Individual Stalls (20)) (1808) (Evacuated 12 civilians)  
Car 144 (Baths, Individual Stalls (20)) (1810) (Evacuated 10 civilians)  
Car 145 (House Car, 1 Level) (1814)  
Car 146 (Lounge Car) (1816) (Collected 1 unidentified Amulet)  
Car 147 (Seats, 2 level) (1820) (Evacuated 1 Delta Mafia, 2 recruits)  
Car 148 (Seats, 2 level) (1824) (Evacuated 5 civilians)  
Car 149 (Seats, 2 level) (1828) (Evacuated 12 Delta Mafia)  
Car 150 (Seats, 1 level) (1830) (Evacuated 1 recruit)

-x-x-x-

(BEQ 17-33 (Annoe House), Base Boarhound East, Terra 232)

Alvin and Jack had settled down on the couch that the latter had thoroughly cleaned and steamed, exhausted from the day's binge-cleaning series.

"This was a helluva day," Alvin groused.

"Fricking awesome, though. We have a real house, in a real military base, commanded by a real government with real guns to protect us. Mom kept getting weepy about it, but I think it's bloody awesome that we're now safe."

Alvin sighed. "I'll say that being Mafia and whacking Slavers was fun, but this is for-real off the charts. I mean, did you see the list that Elata was scrolling through for jobs? Ho-Lee Sheet, brother, the Protectorate alone has a thousand possible career paths. You may be wanting to go Industrial, but I think you could easily find an industrial job anywhere in the Sigma services just as easily as a Commercial one."

Jack chuckled. "I'm going civvie not because I don't like the government. I'm going civvie because, if I do it right, I can open my own plant and really make the bucks."

"Oh, that sounds good," Alvin said. "Anyway, I don't know where I'm going to go, but I'm going to have mom set me up with the Aerospace Academy. I want to fly, I just don't know exactly what I want to fly yet."

"You, flying?" Jack asked. "That's awesome."

"That's going to be so awesome. Train urchin, to Mafiosi, to Refugee, to student, to pilot. The kind of story that takes the curl out of the pube hair of the reader."

"Right on," Jack saluted his brother with a glass of orange juice. "After you've done a decade or two in the armed forces, you can come fly for me when I need transport, eh?"

"If the pay's good and I ever get tired of getting shot at, sure," Alvin said with a smile. "Different world."

"Different world, brother." Jack saluted with his orange juice again.

"Our world, now." Alvin returned the salute with his glass of milk.

-x-

"What will you do, sister?" Kaitlyn asked Elata after they had finished preparing her bed.

"I've signed up as a fighter pilot trainee," Elata answered with a smile.

"Cool! Can you take me up to see the sky someday?" Kaitlyn beamed at the thought of being in the clouds.

"If they allow it, I'll have everyone in the family up in the skies — maybe in the stars!" Elata threw a blanket over Kaitlyn's bed, and stuffed a pillow into a pillowcase for the youngest of the siblings.

"What about you, sister?" Elata asked as she began preparing her own bed. A Mattress Protector went on first, then a mattress pad.

"I want a family!" Kaitlyn said abruptly.

Elata was partway into putting on the fitted sheet when the answer struck her. "A family? That's… no, that is definitely a career, but I was thinking more along the lines of something like what mother or I are doing?"

"Oh, a job? Yeah, I was thinking something like the administrative girls that were at the Induction, you know? Tracks down people, supplies, organize contracts, stuff like that. Or maybe one of the galley chefs? They have a really great job, feeding the refugees and the troops. But no, my one hope in life is to have a loving family of my own, like we are!"

Elata dropped her pillow on the bed and flopped down on it. "Oh man, feels so much better than the beds on the Trains!"

"What about you, sister? You going to start a family?" Kaitlyn propped herself up on her elbow, looking across the short gap between their beds.

Elata was instantly reminded of the bag of condoms and spermicide in her dresser drawer, and the strong suggestion by her mother to take it easy on that kind of conduct if she really wanted to become an ace pilot. On the other hand, she knew that she didn't know what the 'corporate culture' of the Protectorate would be toward such pursuits, and that could change things. Who knows? Maybe the bosses were solicitous to having a family while serving the military.

"I don't know yet," Elata answered truthfully. "Right now, I just want to survive Basic and get into flight school. I'm only seventeen, and mom started when she was 21. I've got a few years to decide."

"Okay," Katherine said.

-x-

Down the hall from the daughters, Subaru put the finishing touch on making her own bed and was satisfied with the result.

The entire house's furniture had been abandoned in place, and other than needing cleaned out, all was perfectly usable. As such, Subaru had a massive king-size bed, matching dresser and armoire, two nightstands, and a chest of drawers for the set. There were mounting brackets on the wall for holovision monitors, but the actual devices were fairly valuable and had probably been pulled when the prior tenants left.

The two kids' rooms shared a shower, which would probably lead to knife fights over shower order (unlike the Train Shower Cars, there was not enough shower room for everyone to take a shower all at once). The master bedroom had its own adjacent shower and bathtub, a large model that could easily fit three or four persons, and this is supposed to be an enlisted quarters? What are the amenities of the officer's quarters, in this case?

The basement was unfinished — from its present state, it appeared that the prior tenant had started fixing the basement up into some kind of parlor, but that had been cut off mid-project, probably by the evacuation. Subaru always wanted a personal library for fiction and nonfiction books, and this would be a good place to set one up, she figured. Part of the basement would be cordoned off as storage, and another part as a utility room, but it was certainly doable.

Subaru ran her finger across the top edge of the headboard on the bed. "It's still so unreal," she groused. "In a matter of hours, I've gone from being a train urchin to a Mobile Suit Technician, and gone from sleeping where I thought it was safe to sleeping in a king-size bed in a row house on a military base."

Subaru took a few moments to consider it, and realized that it had been nineteen years since she had slept anywhere that she really felt safe. "Nineteen years," she said to the pillow in front of her.

"New world, new life, mother," Elata said.

"Ready for it?" Subaru asked.

"I'm done for the night. My application just went through as approved, I am to report to barracks tomorrow for the start of Basic Training," Elata waved her tablet towards her mother.

"Same, done for the night," Katherine answered from behind her elder sister.

"Then enjoy the peace for tonight. For tomorrow, our lives become real interesting."

-x-x-x-

Car 151 (Seats, 2 level) (1834)  
Car 152 (Seats, 2 level) (1838)  
Car 153 (Bathrooms, Gender-split) (1840)  
Car 154 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1843) (Evacuated 20 civilians as volunteer recruits)  
Car 155 (Bathrooms, Individual Stalls (20)) (1845) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 156 (House, 2 level) (1851) (Collected 1 unidentified Amulet)  
Car 157 (Storage) (1853) (Collected 2 unidentified Amulet)  
Car 158 (Seats, 1 level) (1855) (Evacuated 4 Delta Mafia)  
Car 159 (Seats, 1 level) (1857) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 160 (Seats, 1 level) (1859)  
Car 161 (Seats, 2 level) (1903) (Evacuated 1 recruit) (Collected 1 unidentified Amulet)  
Car 162 (Seats, 1 level) (1905) (Evacuated 7 Delta Mafia)  
Car 163 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1908) (Evacuated 3 Bravo Mafia, 6 Delta Mafia, 7 Charlie Mafia, 2 recruits)  
Car 164 (Bathrooms, Individual Stalls (20)) (1910)  
Car 165 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1913) (Evacuated 13 civilians)  
Car 166 (Bathrooms, Individual Rooms (14)) (1916) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 167 (House Car, 1 Level) (1920) (Evacuated 5 civilians) (Collected 1 unidentified Amulet)  
Car 168 (Dining Car) (1924) (Evacuated 26 civilians, 3 recruits)  
Car 169 (Seats, 2 level) (1928)  
Car 170 (Seats, 2 level) (1932) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 171 (Seats, 2 level) (1936) (Evacuated 5 civilians)  
Car 172 (Seats, 2 level) (1940) (Evacuated 13 Bravo Mafia, 7 Delta Mafia, 11 Charlie Mafia) (+3min conversation)

"Aww man, this is gonna be fucking awesome!" a guy said shortly after the entry team boarded the 172 car.

"I see only good things in our future," a rather large lady said. "I mean, lounging around, getting laid two weeks out of a month is all well and good, but I got an itch for vengeance on the punks that hauled me on this train a decade ago."

Leander approached the back of their group, not silently, so at least a third of their rank knew he was there. The remainder of the Bravos and Deltas realized he was there when his gear made a rattling sound when he flopped down on one of the benches behind the group.

"Holy hell, they're here already!"

"I didn't think they'd get here tonight," a mid-twenties Delta guy said.

"Nah, we'll have this train finished up before tonight's done. The other train we're working on, that will take days to clear," Melva said from behind Leander.

"I know you! Melva!" One of the early-twenties Bravo Mafiosi half-shouted. "How did you — in with them?" she waved her finger at the rest of the Rail Guard team.

"I volunteered for Rail Guard," Melva said, playing off her reputation. "We all had most of the skills, we just needed directed training. You remember Megan Christensen, right?"

"Hell yeah, how's the Texas Tornado doing?" a thirty-something Bravo asked.

"She's heading up the other Rail Guard team right now," Leander said, pointing out the window to the other train off the Port side of the 523 Train. "Her team won the right to do the second train, we're cleaning this one out."

"Can we volunteer?" a Delta Mafiosi lady asked.

"Oh yeah, we've got a need for more Rail Guard units," Leander answered with a smile. "You want in, up the stairs in the railhead, talk to the Induction Group to volunteer. They'll get you assigned bunks, personal effects, and into a training cadre."

"And gear?" the youngest of the Bravo Mafia asked.

"Comes with the territory," Melva said. "Pay scale is also damn good, if you can tolerate getting shot at."

"And you get to cap off Slavers, which is possibly the best job perk ever," Leander pointed out.

"Winning! Let's do it!" The eldest of the Delta guys said.

"For you, mister, I think you've earned a flash," the rather large thirty-something Bravo gave him a lift and shake. Leander guessed them well above DD size, certainly nothing to sneeze at.

"Careful slinging those weapons of mass destruction around, honey," Leander shook a finger at her. "You may end up under me if you're going to volunteer for the Rail Guard."

"Doesn't sound half bad," she said. "Thanks!" she waved at the group on her way out the door.

"That was a bit unexpected," Olivia said. "And rather intimidating."

"Those were massive, she's probably had a few kids on the Train," Irina pointed out.

"Probably also a Star Empire resident or descended of one, given her size and figure," Leander said. The use of genetic engineering amongst the Star Empires had created generations of persons who were physically more robust than unmodified humanity, and one of the side effects to help improve human genetic stock had been a gradual increase in bust size over the millennia of such programs. It was a trait that followed in line with other modifications to the primary and secondary reproductive enhancements over those thousands of years, all geared to help increase the population of the Star Empires.

"Ah well, back to work, daylight's wasting," Olivia said.

Car 173 (Seats, 1 level) (1945)  
Car 174 (Double Sleeper Car, 9 rooms) (1948) (Evacuated 10 Bravo Mafia, 1 Delta Mafia, 22 civilians)  
Car 175 (Bathrooms, Gender-split) (1950)  
Car 176 (Single Sleeper Car, 15 rooms) (1953) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 177 (Bathrooms, Gender-split) (1955) (Evacuated 14 civilians)  
Car 178 (House Car, 1 level) (1959)  
Car 179 (Lounge Car) (2001) (Evacuated 10 civilians) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 180 (Seats, 2 level) (2006)  
Car 181 (Seats, 2 level) (2010)  
Car 182 (Seats, 2 level) (2014)  
Car 183 (Seats, 2 level) (2018)  
Car 184 (Seats, 2 level) (2022) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 185 (Single Sleeper Car, 15 rooms) (2025) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 186 (Bathrooms, gender-split) (2027) (Evacuated 4 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 187 (Single Sleeper Car, 15 rooms) (2030)  
Car 188 (Bathrooms, gender-split) (2032)  
Car 189 (House car, 1 level) (2036) (Evacuated 4 civilians, 1 recruit) (Collected 1 M24 SWS, 1 ruby)  
Car 190 (Dining Car) (2040)  
Car 191 (Seats, 2 level) (2044)  
Car 192 (Seats, 2 level) (2048) (Evacuated 7 Charlie Mafia, 5 civilians)  
Car 193 (Seats, 2 level) (2052)  
Car 194 (Seats, 1 level) (2054) (Collected 1 STR Amulet, 1 unidentified Amulet)  
Car 195 (Seats, 1 level) (2056)  
Car 196 (Engine) (2057)  
Car 197 (Engine) (2058)  
Car 198 (Engine) (2059)  
Car 199 (Engine) (2100)  
Car 200 (Engine) (2101)

Sir Launcelot was first to step down from the elevated walk platform around the mostly-disassembled Engine car, and first to come in contact with anyone — in this case a Star Commander of the Armored Infantry detail guarding the undercroft. The medieval knight came to attention and saluted the Star Commander. "Reporting Train 523 cleared of all persons."

The Star Commander came to attention, a noisy racket in full armor and arms. "Acknowledged, Team Lead, and congratulations. Word is that the Engineering Group is already forming up a team to begin disassembly of these Trains."

"Holy shit I am tired," Orla grumped as she leaned back against the mostly-disassembled Engine car frame.

"Stress, operator, stress drains you faster than physical exertion," the Star Commander said. "Sigma One awaits your team upstairs, in the cafeteria. And afterward, may I recommend a good shower and rack time for the lot of you?"

"Not going to argue," Sir Launcelot said. Without further word, Rail Guard 2 team was on the way up the stairs to the ground floor, where the cafeteria was waiting for them.

On their way past, the Sigma troops ran into more than a few of the faces they had rescued on their way through the Train. It was endearing to the troops to see so many elated persons, freed from the uncertainty of the Train's hellish environment, others with a steeled mien as they mentally prepared themselves to face the coming challenges of their new residence. Most of the evacuees cheered the troopers as they passed, a hearty thanks to the two men and seven women who had put their lives on the line to rescue persons who thought themselves beyond redemption.

Outside the cafeteria, Leander brought the group to a halt at the framed Contract from the Executors to decommission the Trains.

" 'This Contract, enacted by lawful decree of Will Transcendent Eric Atrebas, is hereby enacted as of 21 March of the 8838th year of the Star League Reign, and shall be considered valid and binding in perpetuity until it is determined that no significant quantity of Jumper Trains continue to roam freely in Known Existence. Signed and Underwritten, Eric Atrebas, Master Executor and Will Transcendent, 20 March of the 8838th year of the Star League Reign.' "

"One down, a fuck-ton more to go," Melva said. She kissed the tips of her fingers, then pressed the kiss against the top-right corner of the glass. Each of the other troopers in the team did the same, creating a row of smudges across the top of the glass above the border surrounding the paper. Though the gesture was symbolic, it would create a tradition amongst the Rail Guard teams — as would their next couple actions.

Inside the Cafeteria, three persons were waiting for them: Sigma One, Secret Service One, and an elven lady they did not recognize.

"Come, come!" Hess waved the team toward the table he was sitting at. "Damn good operation, team 2! 200 cars, only one shooting incident, and alcohol can be considered the overriding factor in that encounter."

"Far easier than we trained for," Sir Launcelot said. "The next one shall not be so simple."

"I expect it, but at least you have the taste of the coming campaign. So, on this, a celebration is in order." Hess lifted a tablecloth off the table, and below it was a row of shotglasses. "A shot of whiskey for each, in salute of the first Train cleared of many to come. Anyone here allergic to alcohol?"

"Nope, should be good," Leander said. Each of the troopers took a shotglass.

Hess, Toni, and the elven lady took the last glasses. "Rail Guard Team 2. Train 523. The Train that started it all for us — it started the hunt for Slavers, the Protectorate, the Mercenary Unit, and our collision course with certain political parties that want our asses on pikes. Today, it is cleared. Tomorrow, we begin disassembling it, and in a week, we claim the bounty on the Train. Put 'em on safe and let 'em hang, this one is done."

"Hell yes sir!" Amanda half-shouted with her shotglass raised in salute. All twelve slugged the whiskey in one go.

Leander made a show of downing his. "That's good stuff! Hope you got more, sir," he said.

"Certainly," Hess topped off their shotglasses for a second round, including his own. "Couple things have changed since you entered the train. First, policy is now that we do three runs per team per month, on average. What that means is, you'll do a Train, take seven to ten days as part vacation, part training, then sortie for another Train. You can volunteer for more, but given how bad you guys are wrecked doing a quiet 200-car midget Train, I don't see that as a wise idea."

"I ain't an overtime whore, I'll do three a month and like it," Irina said stoutly.

"Second, one thing Team One discovered is that the UMP40 is not a one-size-fits-all assbeater. At your option, you can refit with your personal preference of weapon for clearing the Trains, but keep in mind that the bigger and longer it is, the harder it is going to be to maneuver in those tight confines. Follow?"

"Aye, and much welcomed," Sir Launcelot said. "I rather fancied the P90 when I had a chance to test it."

"FN P90 is a good choice, especially with explosive or armor-piercing munitions," Hess acknowledged. "Third, the Base PX is open for business, so if you've got the credits, or you're willing to take a hit on your first paycheck, you can now get supplies for your residences."

"Nice," Leander said. "Anything else, chief?"

"In a hurry, amigo?" Hess asked.

"Aye, sir, been sweating up a storm, wanted to get cleaned up."

Hess chuckled. "I can understand that after our fast-and-furious operation to rescue her and her sister," and Sigma One indicated the unidentified elven lady in the room. "I'll make the last point short then. I've directed the engineering group to fit barracks into the Railhead undercroft walls for the Rail Teams, so those teams on standby or clearing a Train can rest overnight in secured, clean bunks between tours on the Trains or while waiting for a Train to drop in."

"Excellent, I was wondering about that," Olivia said. "Thank you for the whiskey sir."

"One question, though," Hess began, then hesitated while he worked through phrasing the question without being crude. Two seconds later: "If you don't have a barracks assignment right now, where do you intend to hit the shower?"

Leander didn't miss a beat on that one: "I'm going to be the last dude to hit the showers in the Train we just cleared."

"Not if the rest of the team beats you there," Olivia said to the other element lead.

"Dismissed, and I'll leave this bottle in the reefer against the wall if you want to finish it off before you crash out for the night," Hess said to the team.

"It shall not survive the evening," Melva promised.

Hess saluted the team on the way out of the door.

* * *

 **Author's Chapter Afterword** :

First chapter! W00t!

All things considered, though, Launcelot has the easy one. This Train is short (200 cars) and has mostly been cleared already by the team hijinks of the first day. Things will be a helluva lot spikier on the new Train, especially since it is a lot longer. In fact, the second train will be a multi-day effort by Megan's team to do the job.

The big takeaway for this one is the goodwill that Launcelot forged in the cars, and the ensuing recruitment of almost all of the Mafiosi. After all was said and done, the total evac count for Mafiosi alone (not counting civilians or recruitable civilians) was over 550. In 200 cars. And that was not rpt not counting persons, mafiosi that had already been extracted from the Train by Hess on his way through. The combination of Fat-Boy Slaver Slayer and Knight of the Round Table had convinced the residents that Sigma was on the level, or at least more so than the Train. The great gamble is up the stairs and into the Induction Center, but it won't be a bad gamble for anyone in the long run.

There are a half-dozen little takeaways from this one, being a group of shower-loving perverts, an early teen with enough of a heart to show remorse for her actions, and multiple other encounters of a wild and varied nature. Take your pick on which one caught your attention the most, but I can tell you right now the one that the betas liked for the ongoing effect factor is the Annoe family. And Sieben liked it even better because the Annoe family thing adds personnel to the engineering group, which is more or less Sieben's thang in this writing. Jeff Evans is his character, and he's going to make a fuck-ton of noise before everything is said and done.

(Don't tell Takeshi this, but I'm thinking about delegating a division of Sigma's forces to him as well. He'll have to generate a standard character for it, not a rip of characters from LOTRO, but I'm reasonably sure I think I have something for him :)

The big, screaming Charlie Foxtrot to come was briefly hinted at in the story. The second train is occupied by nothing but Charlie Mafia and civilians, though they call themselves Wee Brats, and only a small percentage of them are of voting age for Sigma purposes. Those that aren't will have to foster in and hit the schools until they're of age. There will be some exceptions, such as persons operating in a younger body but who are quite older (A Phoenix that is 3200 years old but is in a teen's body counts by their actual age, not physical age, under Magi and Protectorate law, just as one example).

And then there is the logistics of the matter. When I did the first run of the Sigma stories, I failed to keep my records accurate and screwed the pooch. Now that I am keeping accurate records, things are moving at a slower and much more manageable pace. The flipside, especially with the clearing of the 523 Train, is the sheer scale of it. For the record, I finished the writing segment of this chapter last Friday. I have actually properly generated and recorded less than a quarter of the recruits from Train 523, and at the pace I am keeping, I suspect it will take me another week or two to have all that hashed out. During the process, though, I am debugging and upgrading my programs furiously, to the point that the random results I am generating today for characters are a whole order of magnitude more random than I was generating two weeks ago.

As to that randomness, well, I have made no bones in my writing about human / nonhuman / semi-human racial issues. With the latest revisions of my character generator program, I can add or remove races from the generation results at will, and tweak the results as appropriate. Human / Elven / Nymph / Sylph? Pffft. Dragon and Phoenix are not the crowd-pleasers to come, there will be more. Anthromorphs, a separate race of strictly Valkyrie? Set in to the results but unseen in the 523 Train. Larger than Humans, such as Giants or Titans? Doable, easily. Smaller than humans, such as Faeries or Moogles? Bah, already accounted for. Even the Protoss can be generated by my randomizers. Ph33r, kids, fear like you have never feared before, because I have a VB6 compiler and I know how to use (abuse?) it!

One thing that I slipped into the results from the 523 train group was a race that is going to make some serious noise going forward, for multiple reasons. You haven't seen them actively in the story so far, and that was deliberate on my part. They are effectively indistinguishable from Humans by physical traits, but an Executor with interdimensional spatial awareness (rare; not even Nereus has that psionic skillset) can sense something amiss with the persons in question. So far in the results I have generated, I have generated three total such characters. They are Dryads, tree spirits made manifest, and they will have several story arcs of their own as well as create a subculture in Sigma that shall be the first 'modernized' Dryad group known in Existence. It will also create possibly one of the strangest conflicts that Sigma will get into during its early years, and one of the most grossly one-sided conflicts you will ever read of.

I think that's all I have to cover for notes at this time. My next chapter in author work is AAA, so anyone who reads this but tracks the AAA storyline should be on the lookout for it.

 **NEXT UP** : Megan begins the clearing of the first Sigma-captured Train. If you thought this Train had some rough spots, wait until you see the next Train!

* * *

 **Review Replies** :

No reviews in this storyline yet. I WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS!

Anything is good. Suggestions on where you want Contracts, where you want people to come from, you name it. I'll throw what I can into this story, for the Sigma story series is the true drainage trap in Stravag's kitchen sink distillery!

* * *

 **The Gripe Sheet** :

No active complaints chapter over chapter, given this is the first chapter, so...

There is one interrelated complaint from a Sigma reviewer, that the Train segments are too 'linear' to be truly interesting. I can understand that, and to an extent agree. As I explained in my notes, they are really a game mechanic made manifest into a failed Star League policy, and one of Sigma's great startup challenges. You will not see a major glut of Train clearing stories, where that happens I intend to do most of that in background until or unless something major happens on a Train. I may include particularly poignant segments in parts of the mainline stories, but for the most part the stories to come will focus on the contract work and not the more mundane train clearing and scrapping. The results of personnel acquisition, however, that will be very much visible in the expanding Sigma forces and civilian population!

* * *

 **Footnotes** :

(1): Any veterans of the Fallout series should know this one well...

(2): The designation of number on an Amulet is a factor of the overall power of the caster at the time of enchanting — the more powerful the caster, the higher the number and hence the more persons that the Amulet can affect. Amulets are normally used as a training measure for novice Relic Mages, allowing them to get used to the process of creating Relics and enchanting objects, and because the most basic Amulet spells are good training for the coming processes in creating full Relics. The practical cap is 10 (Decahedron) — beyond that, the caster is of sufficient power to enchant relics, obviating the need for Amulet forms rather than the permanent form of Relics.

(3) **Element Commander** refers to the leader of a subsection of troops in a unit, such as one of the two entry teams under Sir Launcelot (his element commanders are Leander and Olivia).

(4) **C** ombat **A** pplication **T** ourniquet. Used to slow or stop the bloodflow to a limb gunshot wound.

* * *

 **Included Works** :

—PRIOR STORY — This story assumes that the reader has read through at least chapter 9 of Sigma 0001.

—Real Life Armaments — too many to name, that is most of the arsenal shown.  
—Real Life Combat Gear — the vests and gear carried by the Militia troops are easily constructible from stuff you can buy on Amazon or Cheaper Than Dirt. No, Seriously, Look it up. Do a search for "UTG Modular 10-Piece Complete Kit", and you have a good look at a starter kit for any serious gearhound.  
—Real Life Concepts

—Personal Works: The Star Empires are mentioned briefly here. Additionally, the Magi Empire is named specifically.

—Anime General: the oddball hair colors  
—Anime General and D&D: the nonspecific concept of Elves, Nymphs, and Sylphs.

—Game: Infantry Online (Sony Online Entertainment): The CAW from the early section, and named in the stinger, is a different-manufacturer version of the Kuchler A6 CAW.


	2. Train 133628 Initial Clear Day 1

(Sigma Mercenaries Chronicles, Story 0003, Chapter 02: Train 133628 Initial Clear, Day 1)

(26 March, Magi Year 14408 / Year SL 8838, 0915 Hours Local Time)  
(Railhead Undercroft, Base Boarhound Administration Building, Terra 232)  
(Day 9 of Campaign)

Unlike Team 2, Megan's Team 1 had to wait after the briefing with Sigma Two for the Train to be moved to its holding location. This was a delay of 15 minutes against the old Arthurian Knight and his troops, but a few minutes of quiet to calm the nerves was not unwelcomed by the team.

"What do you think, chief?" Quintin S. asked after Launcelot's troops made entry to the caboose on the 523 Train.

"We have no clue what we're about to get into," Megan answered her Element 1 Lead honestly. "On the other hand, whoever's inside the confines of this Train has no clue what's about to hit them, so the feeling is probably going to be mutual."

"Think it will be bad?" Ikuno asked of the two chatters after the sound of the first door into the 523 Train was heard.

"It won't be good, if that is what you mean," Harold B. answered for the boss.

"We play it smart," Megan Christenson said. "We give them an easy out if they want it. We give them options if they're undecided. We give them security if they're afraid. We give them a face full of 40-caliber slugs if they want to threaten other passengers or us. At the end of the day, it's all we can do to give them the chance to clean up, it's on them to take it and make it."

"Aye aye, Chief," Quintin answered with a smile. Of the group, he wasn't really content to clear Trains for the rest of his working life. The way he figured it, when the bosses opened up the oil-barrel full of whoopass known as Ghost Program, he was going to slide into that MOS and go Merc. A posting to the Rail Guards was simply another line on his codex, so far as he was concerned, and possibly a stepping stone into bigger and nastier (and thus better paying) things. "Not in a hurry to shoot anyone, y'dig?"

"I second that," Camille L. answered. The third-youngest person in the unit at 19, she existed at cross purposes for the Rail Guard teams. She wanted to clear Trains, to prevent what happened to her from happening to anyone else. She had not been on the Train long, nowhere near as long as Megan, but her brief stint had already made her an expectant mother courtesy of the Slaver that had grabbed her from rural Oklahoma in 1913. The MedTechs had cleared her for operations, but only for the next month — her due date was only slightly more than four months off. The other purpose was a strange desire to pilot one of the massive machines of war, if the Boss would allow her. Having grown up on a farm, Camille loved the heavy machinery — she could think of no more worthy triumphant return home than to walk back in the door after delivering an AgroMech to her father for the farm.

"I think we all feel that way, but let's be pragmatic here," Carl said. "The Big Guy skated the first time through because he has this weird aura of persona whereby you can tell he's the nicest person you absolutely don't want to fuck with. And the fact that he was carrying four weapons and enough ammo for a prolonged shootout was itself an extra level of fear factor. We don't have that silent force of persona to cover our asses, so we'll have to use the ammo we carry in to our advantage."

"Use your brains first. Remember, we know what it's like on these Trains. We know the fear of seeing an armed team walk past," Megan said. "We can talk them down, we've been there and done that. It is the best possible option if we bring them out alive, rather than dealing with the dead after the fact."

Three klaxon blasts sounded in the undercroft. "Warning warning warning: Train 133628 jumping in fifteen seconds to Rail Line 1. Ten seconds, eight seconds, six, five, four, three, two, one," and with it the new Train disappeared from the rail beacon line and appeared at the far end of the hangar, now fully exposed to open air.

"Show time, ladies and gentlemen," Megan said before she drew the bolt back on her UMP40.

"Hike time, too," Scarlet pointed out the obvious distance involved.

-x-

Car 0000 (Caboose) (1000) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafia)

In much the same fashion as Sir Launcelot's Team 2, Megan had two elements and planned on having them trade off duties as they moved forward.

Element 1 got the first entry, the caboose.

"Whoa, shit! Someone knows their business!" one of the occupants in the caboose said as Team 1 entered. The kid who said so immediately set aside his FAL with grenade launcher once he realized that he had four sub-guns aimed at his chest and head. "I surrender! Don't shoot!"

"Not here to shoot you, kid," Quintin said. "We're evacuating the train. All of you kids, get your gear up and move out, we have support teams waiting to set you up in permanent, safe housing."

"Wait, what?" This was from an older teen, likely the oldest of them in the room, which wasn't a high hurdle to jump given that all eleven persons in the room were under 20. "What's going on?"

"If I may?" Megan asked as she stepped forward of Quintin. "If I may use this commo panel, the announcement I am about to make will explain it all." She pointed to the Caboose comm panel.

By asking to use it, Megan had yielded the matter to the kids in the room, which none were expecting. The request had been disarming to their 'lead'. "Uh, yeah, sure, if you can get it to work," the elder teen said.

Megan tapped the radio switch on her armor. "Virtue, Rail Guard 1-1, please activate commo panel in caboose." Five seconds later, the panel flickered to life with full administrative access. Megan grabbed up the microphone, selected the all-call option, and keyed the microphone.

"Attention residents of this Train, attention. This is Megan Christenson speaking. The Protectorate of Sigma has taken control of this Train under orders from the Executors of the Star League. Our duty is to clear, disassemble, and permanently scrap this Train. What this means to you is that your days of wandering Existence are done. You now reside in a Protectorate that will free you from the life of a Train wanderer, allow you to live in a stable world or return to your homes as you so choose."

Megan had to pause as she could hear some cheering throughout the train, though it died down fast enough. "First, your personal possessions, weapons, similar, those are yours to keep — Sigma will not force you to turn those over. Second, food, water, housing, and security is waiting outside the Train, so you are not being thrown off the Train to fend for your own. Third, for those over the age of 16, gainful employment and education are available. For those fifteen years and younger, education and housing services are waiting, so you also will not be left without a way to cope with your change of residence."

Megan again paused, as a couple of the teens in the room began cheering for the offered circumstances. "Fourth, for any person abducted by Slavers, or who wandered onto the Train of your own volition, the Protectorate shall be offering services to return you to your homes. This will take time, but if you want to go home, you shall be home in due time." A brief pause, as only a few had a good shout about the circumstance. "Fifth, for those of you who have only known the Trains as your life, there is a whole world around you now, and a future that is whatever you want to make of it. The Protectorate gives us all the freedom to do with our lives what we want, and asks little in return. If you have dreamed of peace, safety, security, stability, you can make it happen. We will show you the way."

Again, Megan paused for a cheer to subside. She had appealed to their sense of location, now to appeal to their sense of well-being. "Listen, I know none of you know me from Eve, so some of you are probably unconvinced that what I am offering has any value. I can understand that; these Trains are full of empty promises and refugees. As a Bravo Mafiosi Cell Commander from another Train, I know exactly what it's like, living in constant fear of Slavers and crazies on a Train. A close friend of mine was abducted by a Slaver from a Train, and I chased them into the train to rescue my friend. I never found her, but I did join up and make a career out of capping Slavers whenever possible. I know what it's like, having to shoot it out with the degenerates that exploit these Trains. I'm offering you a way out, or a way home, and we'll be along to offer it to you personally."

 _Now for the stick_ , Megan thought, mentally referring to the old adage 'carrot and stick'. "Residents of the Train, hear me on this if nothing else. Our orders to clear and scrap the trains come from Master Executor Eric Atrebas. These orders are non-negotiable, and override the sanctity of the Trains as legislated by the Star League. Every person must leave the Train, because when we are done all that shall remain of the Train is salvage and memories. You may emigrate to the Protectorate, you may return to your native lands, or you may go to another Star Empire as you see fit, but you cannot remain on this Train. The choice is yours where to go, and how to go."

"Thank you all, and good luck and godspeed in your coming journey!" After Megan hung up the microphone, the commo panel disabled itself.

"That explains that. Where do I go to start this new life, Miss?" the teen with the FAL asked.

"Out this door, up toward the front of the Railhead, and upstairs. There are Multimage Armored Infantry waiting to direct you to the induction center. They'll take it from there," Megan answered the early teen. She did not know that the Magi security detail intended to pace her up the Train with a pair of troopers who would help direct traffic, starting in a few cars.

"Thank you!" Without any form of complaint or hostility, the first group of many left the Train.

"You've got that touch," Pete said from behind her after the first group was out of earshot.

"It's an art," Megan admitted.

Car 0001 (Luggage) (1008) (Recovered 1 ammunition can .40 S&W, parted munitions out to troops)  
Car 0002 (Luggage) (1011)  
Car 0003 (Luggage) (1014) (Recovered 2 ammunition cans .40 S&W, parted munitions out to troops)  
Car 0004 (Luggage) (1017) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0005 (Luggage) (1020) (Evacuated 5 Charlie Mafia, 1 recruit) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0006 (Luggage) (1024) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0007 (Luggage) (1027) (Evacuated 12 Charlie Mafia, 1 recruit) (+2min negotiation)  
Car 0008 (Luggage) (1032)  
Car 0009 (Luggage) (1035) (Evacuated 2 civilians)

Entry into the car was swift, as practiced. Team two made the entry, led off by Pete F., the youngest hand in the Rail Guards by a fair shot. He cleared the left corner easily, then started sweeping inward — his sights immediately swept across a guy carrying some kind of horridly-spiked and bladed mace that may or may not have been fashioned out of a used skull.

"Don't do it, man, we're not here to harm you!" Cedric V. stated after he entered and took sights on the guy.

"What? why should I believe you? You just want the girl!" The guy said. "Don't you dare come any closer, slavers!"

"Coming up behind you," Carl said quietly to Cedric, while Harold and Camille had sights on the lady.

"We're just trying to clear the train for dismantling. That's it, nothing more," Pete explained. "You can ask the Multimage Armored Infantry outside what their opinion on the matter is, if you like?"

"I will not submit to being a slave," the teen-age lady said, then began muttering something.

"Spell," Carl recognized the chant as an instant-death spell that could kill a group if completed. It was a long one, though, giving him a chance — break her concentration, disrupt the spell. With Cedric between himself and the tangos, Carl quietly unbuttoned one of his flashbang pouches and pulled the NFD. A slow and even pull on the pin prevented the typical 'pull grenade pin' sound, and a thumb on the spoon prevented it going off.

"Now what?" Cedric asked quietly.

"Bang," Carl tossed the flashbang in their general direction, then scrunched his eyes closed against the blast.

A second's span of time was all that it took to prove the name Noise-Flash Distraction (NFD) Device accurate. Everyone in the room was disrupted by the sharp flash and booming blast, but none more so than the opposition spellcaster, who collapsed backwards onto a pile of suitcases. The team was moving several seconds faster than the tangos, which made it possible for them to close the gap and be on top of them before either properly recovered.

"You lose this one, honey. Ready to listen to us, rather than assume you know it all?" Carl asked from above the lady's head, staring down at her over the sights of his UMP40. She started trying to cast something again, but Carl disrupted her again, this time by applying his boot to her right wrist. "Nope, and I advise you don't try again, kid. I am a Transcendent Dragon, if you try to use **Shadow Silence Strike** in my presence, it will kill everyone within several hundred meters of where you lay — including yourself."

"Oh," she deflated after the realization she had just come within a half-sentence to committing mass murder.

"Now, second time, are you ready to listen?" Carl asked.

"Fine, speak your peace," she said angrily.

"We are a Protectorate of the Multimage Star Empire. We are commissioned to clear and scrap these Trains. We are also commissioned to capture or kill any Slavers we encounter. This is our job. You are not a threat of being turned back into a Slave, we kill Slavers. _Comprende_?"

"I want proof," she said sharply.

"Megan?" Carl asked.

Megan unzipped her administrative pouch and handed a document packet to the lady. "Copy of the signature page of the commissioning document for the Protectorate, copy of the orders forming up the Rail Guard, and copy of our contract to scrap the Trains."

The documents were all the proof that would have been needed, except for the arrival of an Armored Infantryman at the door. "We heard a flashbang. Is anything amiss?"

"Just breaking a spell attack," Carl explained.

"You win," the lady said as she slid out from under the Dragon and stood up. "Where do I go to sign up for — fire!" she shouted and pointed at a duffel bag that had been lit by the flashbang and was smoldering.

"I've got this," Quintin said as he squared his back up to the ladies in the room. A bare second later, a golden stream landed on the smoking duffel bag and immediately disrupted the small flame, eventually to even douse the smoke wisps coming from it. "Done."

"Pack the monster away and kick that duffel out of the car," Megan said. "A dozen ways to put a fire out, and he has to piss on it to douse the flames. Why me?"

Quintin heaved the bag out of the cargo door. "It's all fun and games until someone whizzes in your eye."

"I am definitely signing up for this unit," the teen said. "If for no other reason than to bring some semblance of sanity to it."

"Upstairs, basement 1 level, induction center is clearly marked," Megan offered the refugee. "And if this shit gets any stranger, you'll be the first person I ask in for extra manpower."

Car 0010 (Luggage) (1040) (Evacuated 12 Charlie Mafia, 1 recruit)  
Car 0011 (Luggage) (1043) (Evacuated 2 Charlie Mafia as recruits)  
Car 0012 (Luggage) (1046)  
Car 0013 (Luggage) (1049) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0014 (Luggage) (1052) (Evacuated 2 recruits) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0015 (Luggage) (1056)  
Car 0016 (Luggage) (1059)

The prior room had no persons, this one also had no persons. This train was not as thick with passengers in the luggage areas as had been the 523 Train, which slightly worried Megan. On the other hand, the passengers were on the whole not as hostile as had been the teen and the elder guy with the tribal pit mace, so…

"Boss, party favor," Pete said, stopped partway up the starboard side of the rail car.

"Well well, if it isn't a virtual twin to Sigma One's new piece," Megan said with a smile. A M25 White Feather DMR was resting against a luggage rack, with a suppressor on the end and a magazine in the well. "All right, who wants it?"

"I'll hump it around," Pete said.

"Yeah, right, kid, your spine doesn't need that kind of abuse yet," Ikuno stopped that thought aborning. "I've got it, boss, unless you want it?"

"Trust your aim more than mine," Megan admitted, then handed over the rifle. A quick check of the rolling-action bolt for function and Ikuno had it readied as her primary, the UMP40 safed and slung for more violent encounters. "Resume search."

The team made it five paces before Pete struck again — this time inadvertently. He kicked some small object out from under a lady's bathrobe, where it skittered across the floor and bounced off Cedric's boot. Naturally, his aimpoint dropped to the object, though it was not long before he low-whistled. "Now that's interesting, and not something I expected to see here."

"What is it?" Scarlet asked.

"Rune Block, or called an Amulet. I make these in my spare time, when I'm not practicing real Relic Enchantment."

"English, if you would, good sir?" Quintin asked gruffly.

"An Amulet is a disposable enchanted spell item. Caster applies an Amulet Spell to a stack of wooden blocks like this, then applies the intended spell to the block. The Amulet spell impresses the intended spell into wood and binds the power of the spell to the rune, allowing anyone to use the embedded spell. The organization of the rune on the block determines how many uses it has before it is burned out and discarded." Cedric picked up the Amulet and presented it to his team. "See here, the binding in the center is a pentagon? This Amulet can be used five times on a single person, or once on five persons, or a combination of up to five times total. Pretty hefty shit."

"Okay, what's the spell in this Rune?" Megan asked.

"Not sure," Cedric turned the rune around. "Oh, okay. This is an Amulet or Runic Spell only, it has no normal spellcasting equivalent. It is a sacred invocation of the three Base Female Pregnancy Runes — making this a Female Master Amulet."

The rest of the team was silent for ten seconds. "The hell?" Megan asked after she concluded she couldn't process what that meant.

Cedric sighed, thinking through a way to explain it in a civil fashion without getting shot or slapped, or both. "There are a series of special Spell Runes that, when activated, can alter a lady's ability to get pregnant or not, speed it up or slow it down, or enhance the baby growing within. These are ancient magicks, some say predating the Gods. There are no spoken spell equivalents, rune or amulet only. You use this on yourself right now and have sex tonight, your chances are over 90 percent you will be pregnant. Use it again after you're pregnant, it speeds up the pregnancy and enhances the child to be. Why this is here, I don't know," Cedric said, referring to the floor of the car. "All I do know is that these amulets sell like hotcakes whenever they're on the open market, and they're not cheap."

Explained out, Megan's reaction was somewhere between revulsion and shock. "Okay, then, I've heard some strange shit since I got on the Train a couple years back, but that is a whole new level of wrong. Why would anyone want to do that?"

"Shave months off a pregnancy," Camille answered. "When Cedric said they sell like hotcakes, he was not joking. Movie stars and music stars love them, allows them to start a family in their prime years without taking them out of circulation for extended times, and has no known ill effects on the child. Their common list price is 500 c-bills for a single use Amulet, but a stack of Master amulets like Cedric's can start a bidding war that quickly reaches into the low millions of C-bills," the tail-end-Charlie of the second element explained.

"Okay… Not okay, not at all," Megan finally said. "That's — ugh, different world, different sense of what is right and wrong. And this is normal?"

"Normal? No," Cedric said. "Legal? Yes, perfectly. Logical? To some, not to all. Expensive? Hell yes, hence Camille's mention of bidding wars for these things. Their rarity is compounded by demand and by the relative lack of Runic Mages throughout Existence. You want to make an easy retirement? Runic Magic isn't hard to learn, and just about any Amulet sells well in the right markets. And if you can expend the 8 hours to prepare a stack of Amulet boards, you can make 10,000 c-bills in a day on easy. In fact, some retired Combat Mages do just exactly that, they work one day every three months and just mooch off the earnings."

Megan held a hand up. "Must just be my American sensibilities that are being pegged by this, I guess. I'll defer on this for now, we have a Train to clear. Stow that, we'll worry about it later."

"And everyone keep an eye out for similar Amulets. Some of them may have combat spells we can use," Cedric cautioned the rest of his team.

Car 0017 (Luggage) (1108) (Extracted 9 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0018 (Luggage) (1111) (Found and stowed one Light Ball Amulet)  
Car 0019 (Luggage) (1114)  
Car 0020 (Luggage) (1117)  
Car 0021 (Luggage) (1120) (Evacuated 2 civilians, 2 recruits) (+4min negotiation)  
Car 0022 (Luggage) (1127) (Evacuated 4 Charlie Mafia as recruits) (+3min negotiation)  
Car 0023 (Luggage) (1133)  
Car 0024 (Luggage) (1136) (Evacuated 5 civilians, 3 Charlie Mafia as recruits) (+1min negotiations)  
Car 0025 (Luggage) (1140)  
Car 0026 (Luggage) (1143) (Evacuated 3 civilians) (+4min negotiations)  
Car 0027 (Luggage) (1150) (Collected 4 Amulets, 1 Milkor M32 MGL and issued to Scarlet)  
Car 0028 (Luggage) (1153) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0029 (Luggage) (1156) (Evacuated 5 civilians) (+1min negotiations)  
Car 0030 (Luggage) (1200) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafiosi) (Collected 5 Amulets) (+2min negotiations)  
Car 0031 (Luggage) (1205) (Evacuated 3 Charlie Mafia, 5 civilians) (+2min negotiation)

Car 0032 (Luggage) (1208) (Evacuated 2 recruits) (Found 4 loose Amulets, 2 shipping units with bulk Amulets)

"Okay, this is different from the ones we've found so far," Scarlet said as she handed it over to the unit expert on runic magic.

"Indeed, this is also part of the ancient magicks, in this case for altering a person's body — sonuvabitch! I've only ever seen these in texts, never in real life!"

"What is it?" Quintin asked.

"It's a physical fitness rune, Pentagonal geometry. Two of them, actually," Cedric slid the two Amulets apart, and they were indeed a matched pair. "Using these can improve a single person's physical condition immensely, or up to five persons marginally."

"And only two of us are hurting in that department," Megan said. "I am one, Scarlet is the other."

Scarlet looked at the Runes in Cedric's hand, then made a snap decision. "I'll take the gamble. What about you, chief?"

"Yeah, I'll gamble," Megan said. "You only live once, and with the shit I've gone through I'm already condemned to Hell, so might as well make a party out of it."

Both ladies took upon themselves the Amulets, but realized quickly there was a small problem. "How does one use this thing?" Scarlet asked.

"Touch the rune and say ' _ **The Runes of Asgard shall channel the power of this Amulet into its bearers**_ ,' and that should do the job."

"Got it," Megan said. " _ **The Runes of Asgard shall channel the power of this Amulet into its bearers**_ ," she said, which caused the rune to flash white, then char on the wood. "Is that it? I don't feel different."

"The physical modification Runes take about a day to take full effect," Cedric said. "You'll notice your condition improve as the day goes on, and feel like a whole new person tomorrow morning."

" _ **The Runes of Asgard shall channel the power of this Amulet into its bearers**_ ," Scarlet ran hers to completion, the dropped aside the expended Amulet. "Here's to hoping it works as advertised."

"You'll know tomorrow morning," Cedric promised them both.

When both Megan and Scarlet had to draw completely revised uniforms in the morning, both thinner and tighter than they presently were, they knew it had worked better than they had dreamed.

Car 0033 (Luggage) (1215) (Evacuated 12 Charlie Mafia) (+1min Negotiation)  
Car 0034 (Luggage) (1219)  
Car 0035 (Luggage) (1222)  
Car 0036 (Luggage) (1225)  
Car 0037 (Luggage) (1228) (Evacuated 8 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0038 (Luggage) (1231) (Evacuated 2 Charlie Mafia as Recruits) (Collected and stowed 1 amulet)  
Car 0039 (Luggage) (1235) (Evacuated 5 civilians) (Collected 3 amulets, 1 M-14 rifle (rifle assigned to Camille))  
Car 0040 (Luggage) (1238) (Evacuated 1 Charlie Mafia)

"Anyone know what this is?" Megan held a tube of some kind up, what looked like an AT4 but had glass at one end, not an end cap.

"Yeah," Camille said. "Dragonsbane Disposable Pulse Laser," she said, reading off the name on the outside of the shipping unit that Megan had pulled it from. "No clue what it is, though."

Their radios beeped. "Dragonsbane is a one-shot support weapon, kind of like an antitank rocket but fires fifteen concentrated laser beams," Virtue explained. "It is designed for use against light armor and battle armor, allowing a single infantryman a chance at destroying light or medium battle armor without the use of explosives or support weapons."

"That's some serious shit," Pete said.

"How effective?" Megan asked without touching her radio switch, testing a theory of hers.

"Dragonsbane has a 33 percent one-burst lethality against most medium battle armor units, including the vaunted Elemental, and better than 50 percent one-burst lethality against light battle armor. Against lesser targets, one shot one kill," Virtue answered by way of their radios, confirming Megan's theory. "Technically, the United States SMAW has higher one-shot PK than the Dragonsbane against battle armor, but the SMAW is a recoilless rifle, and is not suitable for indoor or confined space usage."

"You look soured," Quintin said to the unit CO.

"Virtue, how much system penetration do you have in the Train's internal systems?" Megan asked.

"I have complete access to the internal security systems, as all are networked and controlled through the locomotives. I can provide you with threat analysis going forward, if that is what you are asking about."

"No, I was thinking something else, but not mission-critical. Thank you." Megan tossed one Dragonsbane to Pete, one to Quintin, and kept the third for herself.

Car 0041 (Luggage) (1244) (Evacuated 8 Charlie Mafia as recruits, 1 recruit) (Collected and used 1 pentagon Shape amulet) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0042 (Luggage) (1248)

The door to the 42 car had not completely opened before a gunshot rang out, and resulted in a significant hole in a hanging clothes bag on a luggage rack.

"Well, they sound like nice people," Scarlet said deadpan.

"Now you know why Clint trained us to stay out from behind the door," Megan said after a pelting of shotgun buckshot tore up the hanging clothes bag even more. "Virtue?"

"Ambush, premeditated, 12 visible tangos," the AI entity reported. "Their chatting suggests they want to kill your team and steal your gear."

"Not a fucking chance," Pete said. "Gimme a second, I'll flip 'em a nade."

Two rounds of magnum pistol were followed by a short burst of sub-machinegun. "Yep, definitely nade first, shoot second, ask questions later," Camille said.

"Harold, after the frag, toss in a bang and we go on that," Megan suggested before another short burst of 9mm SMG came through the door.

"Frags out," Pete said, tossing one into the room blind on the port side, and one blind on the starboard side.

"What the — OH SHIT!" A teenage girl shouted on the far side of the door.

The two blasts were a half-second apart from each other, a double-wave of pure concussive force that was magnified by the mostly-enclosed train cars. All nine of the entry troops could hear fragments singing through the air and bouncing off the walls, even inside their car, at least until those fragments conflicted with the hordes of abandoned luggage. With the blasting done, Harold hefted in a flashbang and ducked back quickly to make sure he was clear of the firing line. This third blast was louder, sharper, but mercifully did not have any fragmentation bouncing around — its sole purpose was to distract and disorient.

"GO GO GO!" Cedric shouted as he jumped off into the room.

"MOVE!" Pete shouted in response as he entered and cleared right, part intimidation and part warning to his teammates.

Surprisingly, not everyone in the room was slain by the paired grenades. One male toward the far end of the car was only partially injured by fragmentation, likely a rearguard for the team, and a teenage girl in the neighborhood of 15 or 16 survived (barely) by dint of being covered by several heavy luggage items. The other ten assaulters were all slain, two of them rather messily due to proximity to the grenades.

"Good fucking God!" Pete swore after he had a good, solid look at what his grenades had wrought.

A single gunshot rang out on the port side, and Cedric raised his aimpoint to the far wounded child. "He popped himself," Cedric said after he saw the puddle of blood from the headshot begin draining toward the freight door.

"Disarm the survivor, then take a minute and puke," Megan said.

"Bit late," Quintin said before he unzipped a duffel bag and tossed his breakfast into it.

Pete was second, though he had the courtesy to hang his head out the door and barf down the gap between the train car and the platform. Ikuno joined him, but ended up splattering the foot of one of the Armored Infantry patrolling the platform. Megan and Scarlet followed Quintin's example, using a duffel bag to contain the splatter, but Cedric simply used a corner.

Of the team, only Carl retained his lunch, and that on the grounds that he had been a soldier once or twice in his past and he knew what to expect. Being a Transcendent Dragon didn't hurt much, either. He took the liberty of stripping the one survivor of her weapons, then forewent the necessity of calling the medtechs by way of using healing magic ( _ **Cura**_ ) to clean up and correct her wounds.

"Military Police needed car 42, 1 capture for firing on entry team," Carl put her hands together behind her back, then ran a zip-tie around each wrist and tightened down to the point of pinching, then linked the two zip-ties by way of a third, creating crude zip-tie handcuffs (the entry teams were not issued handcuffs; Carl decided he would address that later).

"Her?" the lead Armored Infantryman asked as she entered the room. "Grenades in close?"

"Aye," Carl answered as he hauled the teen to standing. "They want to try suppressing the door, we'll suppress with grenades."

"This one will enjoy her tenure in the stockade; such a pity her friends did not survive to join her," the Star Commander of MPs on duty said.

It was only after she stepped down from the car that the captive regained enough understanding of her surroundings to see what was going on. At that point, she looked back into the train car, saw the bodies and the troops, and screeched in raw terror over what happened.

Car 0043 (Luggage) (1255) (Evacuated 4 recruits) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0044 (Luggage) (1258) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0045 (Luggage) (1301) (Evacuated 10 Charlie Mafia) (Collected 3 miscellaneous Amulets) (+3min negotiation)  
Car 0046 (Luggage) (1307)  
Car 0047 (Luggage) (1310)  
Car 0048 (Luggage) (1313) (Evacuated 5 Charlie Mafia as recruits)  
Car 0049 (Luggage) (1316) (Collected 3 Amulets)  
Car 0050 (Luggage) (1319) (Evacuated 9 Charlie Mafia) (+1min Negotiation)

-x-x-x-

Matilda's one screech was for the sight of death and the sight of troops that were far closer to military than anything she had dealt with before. Police in the Dark Moon Star Empire were the courteous, unobtrusive kind, and the use of paramilitary teams were restricted to major crime busting work. The most firepower she had ever seen in one place was her grandfather's gun cabinet.

The death part is what rattled her the most, seeing her friends so wantonly slain as they had been, with little Allison shredded into bloody strips by the grenade that had landed next to her. No doubt the Sterling sub-gun she had been using prior to the explosion had weighed on the decision to blast them out. The troopers she had seen were not Armored Infantry or Battle Armor; there was no expectation that they would throw themselves into the line of fire, they would play it smart.

Matilda had prior seen grenades go off, it was part of bi-annual safety week at school. The local National Guard troops set up a reinforced water tank, filled it, and one of the troops would pitch a grenade in. The blast was clearly visible through the transparent aluminum hull of the tank, and every little kid in the group jumped because of it. They also detonated a land mine and cluster bomblets in the tank, to demonstrate the danger of unexploded ordinance. Because the Dark Moon Star Empire had been 'switch-hitters' during the Star Empire Wars, they had been subject to the two major offenders of explosive ordinance, namely the Magi (for land mines and grenades) and the Negaverse (for cluster bombs and the bomblets), which made just about every Dark Moon world a hazard zone for UXO of one type or another. It was prescient safety training as wellL Matilda had stumbled across an unseparated and undetonated Arrow-IV FASCAM missile about three miles from her home. The detonation from that weapon had rattled every piece of glass in her neighborhood.

Now, she was captured by these troopers, whoever they were, and was being escorted by Magi Armored Infantry? Where to?

"Where are you taking me?" she asked angrily.

"The base stockade, kid," the lady holding her right arm said. "You need some time to cool down, think about what you're angling for in life, you follow?"

"Why? I have done nothing wrong," she answered petulantly.

"You fired on, or were part of a unit that fired on, the Rail Guard team that is clearing the Train."

"Rail Guards? Who?" Matilda feigned innocence.

"You did not hear the announcement?" the Armored Infantrywoman asked.

"What announcement?" the prisoner asked.

"The speakers and the microphones were perfectly functional in Luggage Car 42," Virtue said by way of the Armored Infantry officer's radio and external speaker. "Her team, including her, were heard discussing plans for ambushing and looting the Rail Guard teams. Video evidence will be made available if this goes to Trial."

"Busted, sister," the lady of the two Armored Infantry troops said. "Like I said, time for you to cool off. Sigma One will probably determine what happens to you sometime later today or tomorrow."

"Really? Never heard of 'em," Matilda said callously.

" 'Course not, if you were cooped up on this rail-bound Hellwagon. He's a nice guy, but do not try misleading him. He's an analyst, he blows the props out from under bullshit faster than shit goes through a goose."

"Meh," Matilda said as they continued on in silence.

The troops and prisoner stopped parallel to car 300 when it became obvious that an approaching HMMVW was angling for them. The driver stopped next to the trio and immediately got out. "Militiaman Barrett Goodwin, here to collect the prisoner for transport, Star Commander," he said formally.

"She's all yours, Militiaman," the Star Commander answered. "Where do you want her?"

"Rear passenger," Barrett answered.

The Armored Infantry slid her into the requested seat, taking care to bend her down to avoid banging her head on the door frame, and closed up behind her.

Matilda found herself sitting next to a hulking guy in armor similar to what the combat team was wearing. "Oh boy, don't tell me. You two are going to pass me back and forth before I get to jail, right?"

"Good Gods, if you have to ask something like that, you don't know shit about the legal structures in the Magi Empire," Barrett said before he turned the dashcam around to face the passenger compartment.

"This is going to be a long as hell ride," the other trooper said.

"It's not a job, my brother Cyrus, it's an adventure," Barrett said with some sarcasm.

"Aye, brother Barrett, it's an adventure down the Highway to Hell, handbasket in one hand and the other hand out thumbing for a hitchhike," Cyrus said.

"Wait, this is Magi territory?" Matilda asked as the HMMVW started moving.

"Yes and no," Barrett said. "This is a Protectorate of the Magi, called the Protectorate of Sigma. We're an offshoot, under the umbrella of the Magi, but separate legally. The Protectorate was founded by an American Militiaman who stomped the long way through the train to your right and rescued a lot of people. We're backstopped by the Magi, the Executors, and ComStar to a degree, and we do merc work for the Executors in cleaning out the Trains."

"So, either you're all singing from the same hymnal, or that wench wasn't lying on her announcement and she really is clearing the Train out on order of the Executors," Matilda said.

"Yeah, I think we can put that one to rest fast enough," Cyrus said. "Brother, stop off in front of Admin, we'll take her in to see the Contract."

"Ten-four, brother," Barrett said as he took a left turn to pass in front of the Train, then another left to run down the port side of the Train toward a ramp leading up into daylight.

"What planet are we on, then?" Matilda asked.

"Terra 232, former Star League world that we've expropriated from the ruddy bastards," Barrett said as they came out from underground and up to open sky.

Matilda squinted against the bright sun, but regained proper vision fast enough to see what was going on. A knot of people were leaving Admin, headed into the barracks buildings due west of the main building, but several other vehicles were parked in front of the building and Barrett parked with them.

"All right, out with you," Cyrus said as he lifted her out and to standing.

They walked thirty meters uninterrupted before they came to a pair of Armored Infantry standing sentry at the main doors. "Business, Militiamen?"

Barrett saluted the Armored Infantry. "Here to show the prisoner the contract for clearing the Trains."

"Aff," the Armored Infantryman held a door open for the trio to enter.

"This is what our Star League tax dollars were going to? That's a bitch," Matilda said as she looked around the rather opulent front atrium of the administration building.

"Yeah, gives you a warm and fuzzy just thinking about paying the Senators a million a year or more to build shit like this, eh?" Cyrus said, which caused a passing soldier to chuckle.

"Here it is," Cyrus stopped outside the cafeteria and pointed to the contract.

Matilda read the page, which had to be the final page of the Contract, and groaned. She reread it, then dwelled in on the signature line, which was well penned and easily recognizable as the signature of Eric Atrebas, the Master Executor. Through the transparent aluminum framing case, the ink of the signature was easily recognizable, making this the legitimate document, not a copy.

"Oh my God, I've been a total bitch about this!" Matilda half-wailed after she realized what the document in front of her meant. "I talked my friends into getting themselves killed because I thought the speech was bunk!" Her mind went back to the sight of the innards of the car after she had snapped to, and specifically to the sight of Willem laying in a heap, his chest and neck torn apart by fragments. "I've been a total bitch about this, because I listened to my teachers and didn't listen to the Rail Guards! And now even my boyfriend-to-be is dead for it!"

Matilda collapsed to her knees in front of the display case with the contract, and sobbed for quite a while. Cyrus and Barrett respectfully let her have it out, given the nature of her angst.

-x-x-x-

Car 0051 (Luggage) (1323)  
Car 0052 (Luggage) (1326) (Evacuated 5 recruits) (Collected 5 assorted Amulets) (+2min negotiation)  
Car 0053 (Luggage) (1331)  
Car 0054 (Luggage) (1334) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0055 (Luggage) (1337)  
Car 0056 (Luggage) (1340) (Evacuated 5 Charlie Mafia, 1 recruit)  
Car 0057 (Luggage) (1343) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0058 (Luggage) (1346) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0059 (Luggage) (1349)  
Car 0060 (Luggage) (1352)  
Car 0061 (Luggage) (1355) (Evacuated 3 Charlies, 1 recruit)

"This is bullshit," the youngest of the three Charlies said. "You're a limp pussy. And you're too old for our group!"

"Too old to join, but not too old to be booted," the middle-age of the trio groused. Sonya figured her in the neighborhood of 12 or 13, and just barely starting to form out. If she wasn't armed, Sonya had an inkling she could have demolished the brat in hand-to-hand.

"Nah, nah, we're doing this wrong. We strip her, first, then boot her ass," the eldest of the three Charlies said with some savage glee to voice. "People always complaining that humankind's going out of its way to destroy nature, so I say let's have people harmonize with nature — strip 'em, throw 'em out."

" 'Sides, that's an awesome bomber jacket you have there," the middle-age of the three degenerates said.

"Uh, A little help?" Sonya asked but not of the three Charlies.

All three of the Charlies jolted after they heard the sound of a weapon bolt in close proximity. "Tunnel vision is a thang, and power is a helluva drug," Quintin said.

"We surrender," the Charlie said in a bored fashion.

"Go ahead, enslave us," the eldest of the three groused.

"Enslave you? Bullshit, kid, I'm going to do worse. I'll set your sorry asses free," Megan said.

"Wait, what?" all three turned away from their mark and looked at the troops nearby. "Holy shit!"

"You think you punks are tough, shaking down random stragglers?" Cedric asked. "I could crush your skulls between my forearm and bicep. You ain't got power, you have an attitude. So guess what, kids? You now live in a land that doesn't give two shits or a fuck about what you think. You want power? Go do some time as a mercenary. You want wealth? Go earn it. You want a life that doesn't involve sucking dicks? Out the door and down the platform, follow the signs. Try proving to the world you're not complete pussies, and the world might actually pay attention to you."

"Right," the youngest of the three said with severe timidness.

"MOVE IT!" Cedric shouted. All three jumped and ran for the door. "MOVE IT LIKE YOU GOT A PURPOSE!" He shouted at their trailing forms as they ran up the platform.

The group was silent for twenty seconds. "9.7, 9.6, 9.8 from the American contingent, Jesus, you are a very intimidating mo-fo when you want to be," Ikuno said to Cedric.

"Punks, nothing more," the Nymph relic mage groused. "You all right, kid?" he asked the 'hostage' of the situation.

"Yes, after that awesome display of firepower and intimidation, yes," Sonya said with a polite bow. "Sonya Chere, unwitting victim of the Trains, formerly of the Northern Europa Collective."

"Glad to get you out from under the gun," Megan said. "I take it you heard the speech earlier?"

"Yes! Where do I go?" Sonya asked.

"Sadly, same direction as those dorks," Ikuno pointed in the direction the younger Charlies had run. "Take your time, dawdle on the platform, give them some space so you don't have to deal with their bullshit again. You can sign up for civilian, government, or mercenary work, or register to be put on the list to go home, or register to immigrate to one of the Star Empires…"

"Just can't stay here," Sonya echoed.

"Aye, we're going to demolish this Train, one car at a time. And we're going to enjoy it," Quintin said.

"Got it."

"Head out, kid," Megan waver her toward the door.

"When you live on the Trains for so long, you forget just how fucked up they are," Scarlet groused.

Car 0062 (Luggage) (1400) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0063 (Luggage) (1403)  
Car 0064 (Luggage) (1406) (Evacuated 1 recruit) (+2min negotiation)  
Car 0065 (Luggage) (1411) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0066 (Luggage) (1414) (Collected 2 loose Amulets and 1 Amulet shipping unit)

"Well, this is fucked," Pete said from his position up front in the line. "Anyone have an idea what this is supposed to be?"

"Never seen the like," Camille admitted.

"Nope," Cedric groused after he looked at it.

"I recognize it from old, old war movies," Megan said. "Something in WW2, some kind of rocket, maybe?"

"Here," Ikuno hauled her tablet out of her TT pouch and set it to object identification mode, then snapped a picture of it. The computer did not take long to distinguish the hardware from two pairs of dirty underwear next to it. "Oh, yeah, Megan had it right. World War 2 rocket, proper name Panzerfaust. According to this info sheet, it was the first truly disposable-tube light antitank weapon, and it played hell with Allied armor."

"Quick! Somebody call Clarence, he's the big name for World War 2 gear!" Cedric joked.

"Sure," Megan replied, not realizing it was a joke. "Sigma Three from Rail Guard 1, non-priority," she said.

An answer only took five seconds. "Go for Sigma Three."

"Sir, I have an interesting artifact here in car 66 of the new Train that you may be interested in."

"I am listening," Clarence said.

"How interested are you in a Panzerfaust anti-tank rocket?"

"Fucking hell! I'm on my way! Just leave it by the door, I gotta see this!"

"Sigma Three from Sigma Two, is that a woody I just heard on the radio?" Clint asked.

"Sigma Two from Sigma One, it sounds like it from down here," The Boss answered.

"Sigma One from Sigma Four, flagpole confirmed," Clarence's wife answered.

The Rail Guard team was delayed three minutes due to laughing so hard at the radio exchange they had just heard that they could not walk straight.

Car 0067 (Luggage) (1421) (Collected and used 1 Quad STR Amulet)  
Car 0068 (Luggage) (1424) (Evacuated 5 Charlies, 1 recruit) (+2min negotiation)  
Car 0069 (Luggage) (1429) (Evacuated 1 Charlie, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0070 (Luggage) (1432)  
Car 0071 (Luggage) (1435) (Evacuated 2 Charlies)  
Car 0072 (Luggage) (1438) (Collected 2 combat spell Amulets)

"Found another one," Cedric held up the Panzerfaust for the rest of the team to see. "Should we inform him?"

"Nah, not at all," Megan said. She picked up a belt from the floor, hooked it into a loop, then tied the belt around the body of the antitank rocket as a makeshift sling. "Here, you and Pete are horse-racing on who's best with rockets, so I'll let you have this one, and next AT rocket we find is his."

"Fine by me," Cedric said as Megan handed the rocket back to him.

"Onward," Megan pointed to the next door.

Car 0073 (Luggage) (1441) (Evacuated 8 Charlies)  
Car 0074 (Luggage) (1444) (Evacuated 8 Charlies)  
Car 0075 (Luggage) (1447) (Collected 5 assorted Amulets)  
Car 0076 (Luggage) (1450)  
Car 0077 (Luggage) (1453) (Collected 6 assorted Amulets)  
Car 0078 (Luggage) (1456)  
Car 0079 (Luggage) (1459) (Evacuated 4 civilians, 12 Charlies) (+3min negotiation)  
Car 0080 (Luggage) (1505) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0081 (Luggage) (1508) (Evacuated 11 Charlies)  
Car 0082 (Luggage) (1511)  
Car 0083 (Luggage) (1514)  
Car 0084 (Luggage) (1517) (Evacuated 5 Charlies) (Collected 3 miscellaneous Amulets) (+2min negotiation)  
Car 0085 (Luggage) (1522) (Evacuated 8 Charlies)  
Car 0086 (Luggage) (1525)  
Car 0087 (Luggage) (1528) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0088 (Luggage) (1531) (Collected 2 Amulets)  
Car 0089 (Luggage) (1534) (Evacuated 3 recruits)  
Car 0090 (Luggage) (1537) (Evacuated 1 recruit) (Collected 3 mixed Amulets) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0091 (Luggage) (1541) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0092 (Luggage) (1544) (Evacuated 5 recruits, 7 Charlies)  
Car 0093 (Luggage) (1547) (Collected 2 Amulets)

A rather loud rumbling came to Megan's hearing, which only accentuated the fact that she was hungry. She didn't want to stop before car 100, but that sound was indicator enough. "All right, whose stomach was that?"

"Guilty," Pete answered.

"Bah, wanted to stop at 100 for lunch, but here works just as well. Take thirty and enjoy your chow, troops," Megan ordered.

Luggage was displaced off the racks to allow for seating for nine operators who had been at it for nearly six hours straight.

"That was a good first run, only one battle so far," Carl said.

"What do you think, Chief? Ten-hour runs until we run out of Train?" Cedric asked as he broke open a MRE meal to begin heating it.

"No, we'll do 12-hour runs, that way we have some time to rest in the mornings and evenings, and we're really pushing for progress. That reminds me," Megan said after she sat her MRE entree down to heat up in the chemical heater pack. "Sigma One from Rail Guard One, come back," she asked.

"Go for Sigma One," the answer came back after two seconds.

"Sir, my team has been on the move for 5 hours and change, and we're not yet up to car 100. There is no way we can complete the sweep of this Train tonight. What is our plan for securing and crew rest?"

"Securing Train progress will be handled by the Armored Infantry, who can stonewall anyone trying to move backward through the Train. Crew Rest can be handled at team's discretion. You can bed in on the Train, or return to barracks for overnight. Transport will be made available if desired."

"Sleep here works for me," Carl said. "Break out a sleeping bag, take a shower in one of the shower cars, grab a few z's, up in the morning to do it again. Nothing hard about it."

"Sounds like a winner," Ikuno said. "Anyone have the lime-flavored drink powder in their MRE?"

"Not in this one, sorry, mine's orange," Megan answered, then hit her radio switch. "Sigma One, roger your last. We expect we will bed in on the Train tonight, may need sleeping bags if we can't find sufficient clothes bags to use."

"Acknowledged," Hess answered. "Good hunting, Sigma One is out."

Car 0094 (Luggage) (1620)  
Car 0095 (Luggage) (1623) (Evacuated 2 civilians, 2 recruits) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0096 (Luggage) (1627) (Evacuated 5 Charlies) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0097 (Luggage) (1631) (Evacuated 2 recruits) (+5min negotiation)  
Car 0098 (Luggage) (1639) (Evacuated 6 Charlies as recruits) (Collected and took possession of 1 M-24 Suppressed)  
Car 0099 (Luggage) (1642)  
Car 0100 (Luggage) (1645) (Evacuated 1 recruit)

-x-x-x-

The stockade facility in Boarhound was a particularly gloomy edifice in a not particularly cheery part of the base to begin with. Matilda held her silence on it regardless, given that a failure of her education had resulted in the particular circumstances leading up to the ambush, the death of her friends, and now in her incarceration for what she characterized (to herself) as gross stupidity unbecoming a citizen of the Star League.

As they approached Cell 1A-01, Barrett clicked his radio on. "Jailhouse, Militia 01, unlock Cell 1A-01."

"Jailhouse acknowledges," the Point Commander in command of the Jailhouse security zone answered. Since the arrival of the training unit, Star Colonel Storme had made sure that a point was on duty at the stockade just in case it was ever needed. So far it was not, but there was always a first — and Matilda was it.

The door slid open, Barrett stopped the prisoner outside the cell and used a pair of wire cutters to remove her zip-tie cuffs. "We've informed the Boss that you're down here. Someone from the command section will probably want to talk to you tonight."

"Better than I expected," Matilda admitted before she stepped into her cell and the door closed behind her. "Would it help if I said that I am a victim of political bias passed off as education?"

"Now that has to be a story," Cyrus Goodwin said.

"My civics instructor — 5th year Advanced Schooling, graduating course that I never completed. I knew she was a bit of a left-swinger, The State Can Do No Wrong, bigger government is better government, that kind of thing. She taught the section on Star League governance with a clear slant toward the Senate, and absolutely detested the Executors. She pushed one or two minor victories of the Senate over the will of the Executors as grounds that the Senate had absolute authority and that the Executors could not countermand the Senate. I believed her."

"Ouch," Cyrus said sympathetically.

"When your team lead said that the Executors had ordered the clearing of the Train, and that her orders superseded the rulings of the Senate, I believed it had to be bullshit and it was some kind of a trick to get us off the Train for God only knows what purpose," Matilda said guiltily, forearms on the bars to her cell door and with her head hung in sadness.

"Thus the ambush," Barrett pointed out.

"Yes. Kill the incoming Slavers or miscreants, steal their gear and munitions, kill any other incoming miscreants until the Train jumped again and got us out of harm's way," Matilda ran through the overarching operations concept.

"Not a bad plan, if you had verified an actual threat and not just assumed it to be so," a Multimage Armored Infantryman said as he approached the cell block. "If you have any others for delivery to the cells, Militiamen, bring them here to the 1A block."

"10-4, trooper," Barrett gave him a salute, then looked back to Matilda. "For what it's worth, I believe you, girl. Now it's your conscience in the fry-pan, you have to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life."

"Were I you, I'd be thinking long and hard about doing better than what you thought you wanted to be, lo those days past in the schoolhouse, so that when you go to slap the fail out of that instructor, your hand has some real horsepower behind it," Cyrus said.

"What do you mean?" Matilda asked.

"You just got played by a bullshit instructor, it cost you friends and a boyfriend-to-be… which that part I don't really get. Either he was or was not a boyfriend, what's this 'to be' part about?" Cyrus asked.

"Willem, nice guy, old hand on the Train, was abducted when he was six. Did 8 years on the Train, never lost his nice, cheery disposition even after being one of the best gunfighting Weebs on the wagon. Couple years younger than I, so I was bringing him along in Reverse Hikaru Genji style, to make a proper boyfriend out of him in a few years." Matilda sighed, then hung her head again. "And because I listened to a bullshit instructor, he was two meters away from the grenade that killed him. Because I convinced the group that it had to be a bullshit ploy. Me and Kathy figured on passing him back and forth between each other in a few years, but..." her arm-wave gesture was part resignation, part feeble understanding of what happened.

"Gotcha. Never heard of a plan like that, but it makes sense," Cyrus admitted.

"Rest for now, take some time to think. Soon enough, you'll know what you want to do," Barrett said. "Over to you, trooper," he said to the Armored Infantryman.

-x-x-x-

Car 0101 (Luggage) (1648) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0102 (Luggage) (1651) (Evacuated 3 recruits)  
Car 0103 (Luggage) (1654) (Evacuated 1 civilian) (+5min negotiation due to conspiracy theories)  
Car 0104 (Luggage) (1702) (Evacuated 1 Charlies as recruits, 1 recruit)  
Car 0105 (Luggage) (1705) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 0106 (Luggage) (1708) (Evacuated 1 civilian, 2 recruits) (Collected 2 mixed Amulets) (+4min negotiation)  
Car 0107 (Luggage) (1715) (Evacuated 3 Charlies) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0108 (Luggage) (1719) (Evacuated 1 recruit) (Collected 4 mixed Amulets)  
Car 0109 (Luggage) (1722) (Evacuated 6 Charlies)  
Car 0110 (Luggage) (1725) (Evacuated 2 Charlies as recruits)  
Car 0111 (Luggage) (1728) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0112 (Luggage) (1731) (Evacuated 8 Charlies as recruits)

Quintin led off, then Scarlet, followed quickly by Carl and Ikuno. By the time Carl crossed the threshold, the group had realized that something was definitely different in this luggage car.

Scarlet reminded herself that Dragons and Phoenix were not the only non-humanocentric non-humans in Existence. An old race of intelligent Tigers had been found amongst the stars not long after the Magi had encountered the Elves, and in this the Tigers were not one to putz around, unlike the Elves. Within a decade of first contact the Tigers had hitched a ride on the coattails of the Multimages, and their first round of cutting teeth had been in the war against the Star League of Cameron (and, by extension, against the Inner Sphere). Similarly, the Dynasty and Illyaris had found their own groups of these Tigers, hence their (reasonable) frequency amongst the demograpic makeups of said Star Empires.

Only a fool doubted their intelligence or cunning, and only a sheer dumbass believed them incapable of presenting a threat to even an armed and armored human. On the flip side, most Tigers mixed well with humans and semi-humans or demi-humans, such as the present situation.

"Am I seeing this right?" Ikuno asked.

"I think you are," Scarlet said.

"That's extremely cute! I have to take a picture of that." Ikuno broke out her tablet, set it to camera mode, and snapped a shot of it.

"Be quiet, soldiers, these brats are noisy when awake," the Tiger at the center of the group said quietly. Arrayed around her were seven 'Wee brats' (Charlie Mafiosi in their own naming convention) and all were asleep.

"Got it," Quintin said. "We've got a problem, milady. Even if they are asleep, we can't let you stay here. We're doing a general clearing of the Train," he said at a bare whisper, easily loud enough to be heard by a Tiger, but not loud enough to be heard by the kids.

"So where do I go? And what offerings are there for these children?" the Tiger whispered back.

"This land is a Protectorate of the Multimages. Outside, we have facilities set up for housing the Train Refugees, and you have three options. You can return to your homeland, you can join the civilians of the Protectorate, or you can take a position within the Protectorate itself. For the kids, we have education available and the option to return home if they want it," Ikuno said, though she found it hard to speak in straight whispers.

"No slavery?" the Tiger asked.

"No, we capture or kill Slavers," Quintin answered. "You probably will be expected to work, but it's not forced labor. Hell, if you feel like it, your group could go off into the bush, build a hut and forage off the land. Wouldn't recommend it, the countryside is not secured and there are armed gangs roaming about, but it is not illegal."

"Ah." The Tiger yawned, and added some vocalization to it. Her partial yowl caused more than half the children sleeping on top of her or against her to wake up. "All right, children, up and at it! We're to leave the train smartly!"

"What?" a seven-year-old Weeb (Charlie) asked.

"Orders from an Executor, we are to evacuate the Train. Resources are available up top. Come on, move it!" the Tigress stood up, which served to jostle the remaining sleepers awake. When mussed up and standing, it became quickly apparent that only one of them was a teen, and none were of age to join the Protectorate yet. "Gather your arms and ammo, any clothes you have, we shall find housing in the Protectorate."

"Oh, whoa, troops! Who are you with?" The one teen girl in the group asked. Ikuno guessed her in the neighborhood of 13, though experienced enough to properly handle the Mossberg 500 Cruiser shotgun like she knew what she was doing.

"Multimage Protectorate of Sigma, Rail Guard team. We're clearing the Trains out by orders of Master Executor Atrebas," Megan said. The teams were hanging loose, with Pete picking through a hanging clothes bag, but were otherwise at ease and not directly threatening the Charlies.

"Oh, cool! Where do I sign up?" the teen asked.

"You're, what, twelve? Thirteen?" Megan asked.

"Thirteen, why?" she responded.

"By law, that puts you three years too young to join up," Megan said. "Give it a couple years, finish up your schooling, get some formal training under the Magi instructors, and I'll hire you on. But make sure clearing Trains is what you want to do, because this Protectorate is going places, and you may find something better you want to do."

"Oh, boo!" the Teen stuck her tongue out at Megan. "Always too young to do anything worthwhile!"

"Or you could get a job full-time while doing academy in the evenings," Scarlet said. "Minimum for employment is 12, but military is 16. You have options, kid. Don't throw yourself into the fire just yet, find what you want to do first."

"Oh," she groused. "Sorry."

Scarlet chuckled. "Don't apologize, make a move." She waved a finger at the door. "Induction center is up two floors. They'll get you squared away, housing and moving toward what you want to do."

The children filed out, leaving only the Tiger and the Rail Guards. "And I?" the Tiger asked.

"You act a bit older than the children, so I'd guess you are?" Megan asked.

"Not by much. I have been on the Train less than a full year, but was only seventeen when I stepped onboard, tracking a Slaver team."

"Well, you have full options," Megan said. "And, being over 16, you would have a vote in the Protectorate's future. I suggest you use it wisely."

The Tiger stopped to scratch behind her ear for a moment. "Would I be allowed to continue to see to them until the children are ready to move out onto their own?" she asked.

"I'd guess so? Nothing illegal in that arrangement, so far as I can tell," Megan shrugged. "I'd recommend asking with the Induction Center personnel, they'd be best suited to answer questions or arrange housing like that."

"Understood, thank you," the Tiger nodded, then jumped out the door and started packing toward the passel of children headed up the platform.

Thirty seconds later: "With a bunch of kids like that, I wish her luck," Ikuno said.

The group had no knowledge that their conversation had been retransmitted throughout the Train, and would influence encounters to come.

Car 0113 (Luggage) (1738) (Evacuated 9 Charlies, 1 recruit)  
Car 0114 (Luggage) (1741)  
Car 0115 (Luggage) (1744) (Evacuated 10 Charlies) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0116 (Luggage) (1748) (Evacuated 7 Charlies)  
Car 0117 (Luggage) (1751)  
Car 0118 (Luggage) (1754) (Evacuated 4 Charlies, 2 recruits)  
Car 0119 (Luggage) (1757) (Evacuated 10 Charlies as Recruits)  
Car 0120 (Luggage) (1800)  
Car 0121 (Luggage) (1803) (Evacuated 1 Charlie, 1 recruit)  
Car 0122 (Luggage) (1806) (Evacuated 6 Charlies as recruits) (Collected 2 Amulets)  
Car 0123 (Luggage) (1809) (Evacuated 5 Charlies) (Collected 2 Amulets)  
Car 0124 (Luggage) (1812) (Evacuated 12 Charlies)

"Chief, I think we have another winner here," Pete said from the front of their column.

"That's a piece of hardware," Megan said. "Now that I do recognize. My father brought one home as a souvenir from the war, had it tax-stamped and everything. It's the early version of the Sturmgewehr '44, I think that is the MP43/1 if I remember correctly? He let me shoot it once or twice, it's a real piece of work."

"What's that thing next to it?" Scarlet asked.

"The one on the left is an old Henry lever-action rifle," Megan picked it up. "In fact, not dissimilar to what I brought onto the Train with me. Different caliber, I was carrying the 44-40 version, this is .45 Long Colt. Anyone want it?" Harold raised his hand, and took possession of the rifle. "This, I have no clue what this is," Megan said as she picked up the sizable tube weapon that did not resemble a LAWS rocket but looked like it would be carried and used the same way.

"Oi, pass that back here," Carl said. Pete handed it off to the Transcendent Dragon in human form. "I know this weapon! It's an old L30 Infantry Support Laser, has the attached JAF-11S Visual Suppressor System on it. Each pull of the trigger uses about a fifth of a power pack's energy, but it dumps 1 megajoule of energy into a target in an eighth of a second. Add the suppressor, you have a weapon capable of blowing someone's head into chunks with nobody the wiser unless they have infrared goggles."

"Can you use it?" Megan asked.

"Hell no, I sucked with lasers back in my military days," Carl answered. "Hell, I wasn't too hot with a rifle or pistol."

"You still aren't too hot," Pete said truthfully.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I could use it, but I blow with hitting anything with these things."

"I'll take it," Camille said after she handed off her M-14 to Cedric. "I can probably figure it out fast enough."

"You'll need a power pack," Carl looked around the room, and his eyes stopped on the one big power pack in the room, a Support PPC Power Pack. "Fuck, that'd juice it, but…" he pointed to the pack in question.

"Eh, I'll hump it in," Pete said as something of a wan joke. The power pack in question was was a meter long, half a meter wide, a third of a meter tall, and weighed 25 kilograms with cable attachments for multiple users to share one pack.

"Yeah right, mighty midget," Cedric said immediately. "How tall are you, son?" He asked, intending to play the old Drill Sergeant's joke about stacking shit high...

… which the brash youngster inadvertently nuked with his own joke: "I'm three foot nine with a ten foot dick, sir!" Pete answered with a perfectly straight face.

"Oh God!" Megan gasped before she collapsed into one of the clothes racks, laughing so hard she had problems standing. Most of the rest of the unit had similar reactions.

"Okay, okay, you win that one, mighty midget," Cedric said to Pete after most of the laughter died down. "Suffice it to say, your ten foot flagpole is not going to be humping a Support PPC Power Pack around, not for long at least. These things are designed to be dropped off the back of a truck or carried into battle by two or three people. Or you plug them into the ass-end of a Battle Armor or Infantry Armor trooper to feed their support energy weapons. Keep your eyes on the ground for smaller power packs, like Satchel Batteries or standard power packs. The L30 is far too valuable to pass up, but feeding it is going to be a bitch."

Car 0125 (Luggage) (1818) (Evacuated 2 recruits) (Collected 1 satchel battery)  
Car 0126 (Luggage) (1821) (Evacuated 8 Charlies, 2 recruits) (Collected 1 satchel battery) (+1min negotiations)  
Car 0127 (Luggage) (1825) (Evacuated 5 Charlies, 1 recruit)  
Car 0128 (Luggage) (1828) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0129 (Luggage) (1831) (Evacuated 3 recruits)  
Car 0130 (Luggage) (1834) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 1 recruit)  
Car 0131 (Luggage) (1837)  
Car 0132 (Luggage) (1840) (Collected 3 Amulets)  
Car 0133 (Luggage) (1843) (Collected 3 Amulets)  
Car 0134 (Luggage) (1846) (Found and raided a shipment of 17 Standard Satchel batteries, parted out to entire unit.)  
Car 0135 (Luggage) (1851)  
Car 0136 (Luggage) (1854)  
Car 0137 (Luggage) (1857) (Evacuated 5 Charlies)  
Car 0138 (Luggage) (1900) (Evacuated 7 Charlies, 1 recruit)  
Car 0139 (Luggage) (1903) (Evacuated 12 Charlies) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0140 (Luggage) (1907) (Evacuated 1 recruit)

The entry into Car 140 was textbook, the product of hours of practice and now over a hundred IRL car clearings. That said, there was nobody standing that could present a threat to the team.

Of persons not standing, there was only one in the room.

Quintin approached her slowly, sights trained on her chest, and nudged her foot. "Dead?" he asked after a moment of non-reaction from her.

"Don't think so," Carl answered. He bent down and tested her neck for a pulse. "She's alive, but only barely."

"Rail Guard 1 requesting medtechs to car 140, 1 person down, no visible injuries."

"MedTechs acknowledge, en route now," the Magi Medtechs answered.

"What would it be? She looks uninj — " Scarlet bit off her sentence. "Broken leg."

"Yeah, left leg," Carl acknowledged after he put some light on it.

"Dehydration," Megan said. "I found a few bodies on the 523, dead because they either starved due to incapacitation, being locked into a room, or were injured like this."

"This is probably where she gave up trying to crawl toward relief," Pete guessed.

"MedTechs are here," the lead of the two said. "Any response from the subject?"

"Negative, nothing," Megan answered.

"Skin is dried and patchy, she's badly dehydrated. Probably comatose from shock induced by it," the lead MedTech said.

"Bad?" Ikuno asked.

"Bad enough I wouldn't bet on us being able to pull her around," the junior MedTech answered.

After the subject was loaded on a gurney and out of the car, Megan turned back toward the next door and hefted her MP43/1. "Daylight waits for nobody, especially those who are crippled. Onward to the next."

Car 0141 (Luggage) (1910)  
Car 0142 (Luggage) (1916) (Evacuated 5 Charlies, 1 recruit)  
Car 0143 (Luggage) (1919)  
Car 0144 (Luggage) (1922) (Evacuated 1 recruit) (Collected 4 Amulets)  
Car 0145 (Luggage) (1925) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0146 (Luggage) (1928)  
Car 0147 (Luggage) (1931) (Evacuated 2 recruits) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0148 (Luggage) (1935) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0149 (Luggage) (1938) (Evacuated 1 recruit) (Found and used 1 Quad STR Amulet)  
Car 0150 (Luggage) (1941) (Evacuated 9 Charlies)

-x-x-x-

From where she was sitting, Matilda could hear the approaching footsteps but not see who it was coming toward her. The Armored Infantry officer could move to see who was approaching, and when he snapped to attention at the end of the hallway, Matilda figured someone important this way comes.

What she got from her first impression, though, was not all that impressive. The guy was large and somewhat muscular, but also well overweight. The H-harness, pistol belt, and drop leg holster / gear combo looked weird, almost out of place on him. More curious was the lady with the red hair, a full tactical gearset, and assault rifle of some type that was following him.

Matilda decided to start off. "I'm guessing you're someone important," she said, wondering what kind of answer she would get.

"Maybe, maybe not." The big guy almost seemed unfazed by the question. "All a matter of frame of reference. Who is important to you?" he asked.

"My family, and my deceased boyfriend-to-be," Matilda answered, then hung her head.

"I heard what happened," the big guy answered, which caused her to look back up. "I won't say you are blameless, but I also will not call you a malicious actor in this incident. By your instruction, you had no reason to believe our orders were legitimate. That makes you more of a victim than a culprit, all things being equal."

"And that makes you Sigma One," Matilda guessed. Hess simply nodded affirmative. "So, what's to become of me?"

"That is your choice to make, not mine. Legally, I have no grounds to hold you, as your firing on the Rail Guard team was not done in depraved attempt to murder a legitimate authority, but in expectation of ambushing a Slaver or other bad actor. I could, in theory, pop your jail cell right now and let you walk out. Or we can discuss other options," Hess offered.

"What options?"

"Of everyone who exits the Trains, you have three choices. One, you can sign up to be extracted back to your homeworld. Two, you can emigrate to any of the Star Empires, if they will receive you. Three, you can remain here and become a citizen of the Protectorate," Hess explained.

Matilda considered this option for a minute. "I would like to go home, but not immediately," Matilda said. "You heard the story of what happened, but did you hear who falsified my teaching so badly?"

"Only hints thereof," Hess said. "Care to enlighten us?"

Matilda sighed. "The teacher in question was — is, I guess, unless she miraculously died sometime in the past few months — a Bigger Government sycophant. Hard Left, the State Can Do No Wrong, individuals are supposed to grovel at the feet of the government, that kind of person. She made no bones about being up in our faces about it, and if you didn't toe the line, you lost grades."

"An Ivory Tower Fascist or Ivory Tower Communist, if one was to put a direct name to her leaning," Hess extrapolated on the description so far. "Nothing dies harder than a perverse idea, and the singular most perverse idea in Existence is that government knows better than the average person."

"And with that explanation, you'd lose three grade points on the week and have a detention for insubordination," Matilda confirmed. "She couldn't persuade most of us to believe in government power, so she used the persuasion of her schooling power to force us into line. After a while, you parrot it back to her but it's all meaningless, except for those little lessons that you think may be legitimate. And when your brain is numb, starving for stimulus, those little lessons stand out."

"Hence the lesson you internalized with bad information," Sigma One guessed the direction of her narrative.

"Correct, sir. She used two obscure overrulings from the Star League Grand Council to extrapolate that the Executors could not override the Senate. This, of course, ignored the mountains of evidence otherwise, but again, when your brain becomes so numb to the lessons that you internalize the one interesting thing, it becomes an echo chamber. And you know the rest of the story."

"Sounds and furies, echoing inside, signifying bad information that caused you to think you were dealing with bandits or Slavers. So, you know your instigator, now what do you intend to do about it?"

"Obviously, I can't say I want to kill her for this, since that would be conspiring to kill her, no?" Matilda asked, to test the waters.

"I may consider Commies and their sycophants to be parasites at best, and an existential threat more often, but in this case I would have to agree. Eliminating her, though proper vengeance, cannot be justified in any other fashion."

"Then I undo her work, her career, her prattling. I hammer on her with this failure. I destroy her career for improper teaching methods. And I destroy her reputation far and wide, show her for the boot-licking skunkworm she really is," Matilda said.

"Situation and Objective. Now your method," Hess prompted her.

Matilda had thought long and hard about this one over the past couple hours, and came to one good conclusion. "In this Protectorate, is it legal for a person to privately own their own machines of war?"

"If you have the cash for it, yes," Hess said. "The bigger the machine, the more it will cost, and the more the maintenance on it will cost. On the other hand, one of the easiest ways to stick it in a Fascist's craw is to be better equipped than the average jackboot, so I think you have that much of a plan in the bag. So, the next thing is annihilating her career."

"That is going to be a challenge. She is entrenched, tenured. The school will protect her," Matilda said.

"Then annihilate the school's career, and with it hers," Hess answered. "Call into question the entire curriculum of the college, and watch their support evaporate in days. If you make enough noise, you can cause the political establishment on your homeworld to sic the inquisition on them. Once they are outed by the inquisition, her credentials questioned, no sane educational institution will risk hiring her for fear of generating a rebellion in their student ranks."

"Then how do I make that kind of noise?" Matilda asked.

"You make a name for yourself. You asked about private ownership of mechanized units? Become an ace with those mechanized units, start your own stable, build your own reputation as a hard-charging shit-kicker. Sponsor your own college — hell, if you want street cred in education, open your own college or military academy, make it louder and more demanding than the academy you seek to overthrow. When you have the pulpit necessary to dethrone the wench, you hammer the school flat, get the staff booted, and at their lowest you buy them out and set it up as a satellite academy of your own. Vengeance grand mal is not always killing the opposition, sometimes all you have to do is do their job better than they can."

"That's… Whoa, now I see why you are the head of a Protectorate under the Magi. You've already planned out how to accomplish what was just a burning ember in my heart," she said.

"Understand the problem, find a solution to the problem. Those two steps are the yin and yang of Analysis. Making it happen is going to be a different story entirely, of course. This will take time, money, planning. If you want to do this all the way to the hilt, you had best plan on taking decades to do it."

Matilda smiled. "Because I got lucky and had copious amounts of luggage between me and the grenade, I have decades to work with. If you will grant me the chance, I will use those decades."

"You left one thread hanging, though," Sigma One said.

"Huh?" Matilda asked.

"The OpFor has already left a long wake of damage in her path. Countless classes, all poisoned with the same Statist bullshit that caused you to misjudge a lawful order. Probably the single most effective insult you can give to her 'screwal' work would be to recruit her student base out from under her. Prior graduates, present students, families in her onrushing path, clear the field and entice them here, where they can learn the truth and better themselves. History is not replete with success stories of people who became rich by licking the boot that crushed their necks. Show them the better path, and you profane her efforts."

Matilda smiled. Sigma One left her with a tablet to begin her induction paperwork, and an open cell door.

-x-x-x-

Car 0151 (Luggage) (1944) (Collected 5 Amulets)  
Car 0152 (Luggage) (1947) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0153 (Luggage) (1950) (Evacuated 12 Charlies)

After the 12 Weebs (Charlie Mafiosi) had been evacuated and were on their merry way up the platform, Pete resumed the forward search of the Luggage car, looking for anything of immediate value to the team or immediate utility in saving asses. As he passed by a couple of small shipping units, his left-side medical pouch caught the corner of one of those shippers, which forced him to stop and unsnag it. With eyes on, it only took him three seconds to read over the labeling on the packaging, and another two seconds to understand the significance of the label.

"Well, put on a pink tutu and jump my bones, Chief, I think we may have just hit the mother-load!"

"What?" Megan asked as she approached behind Pete. "You can read that?"

" _Kanji_ , yes ma'am, it's required of Magi citizens," Pete answered. "50 units, Reproductive Amulet, Female Master, Quad rated. White Star Reproductive Therapy Group."

"Son of a bitch!" Cedric shouted. "Fifty! At 2000 an Amulet, assuming network value, that's a hundred thousand C-bills!"

"Ten percent of that value is ten thousand, split nine ways is slightly more than a thousand C-bills each," Megan said. "Tag 'em as abandoned in place but claimed," she said. Pete slapped a self-adhesive tag on it, which would tell the Trailers that the object thus tagged was property of the Rail Guard team. For security purposes, he took a picture and uploaded it to Virtue for later verification purposes. To prevent a Rail Guard team simply going through and tagging everything they found, each trooper was issued only two tags a day, but could carry out whatever they could carry. The expectation was that the bulk of the material would go to Sigma, and the troopers would get a generous cut of the Train's scrap bounty.

They did not know that the shipping unit they had stumbled across was missing three of the Amulets already, but would sell far higher than the 2000 per Amulet value.

Car 0154 (Luggage) (1954) (Evacuated 8 Charlies, 1 recruit)  
Car 0155 (Luggage) (1957)  
Car 0156 (Luggage) (2000) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 0157 (Luggage) (2003) (Evacuated 1 Charlie)  
Car 0158 (Luggage) (2006) (Evacuated 5 civilians)  
Car 0159 (Luggage) (2009) (Evacuated 3 Charlies, 1 recruit)  
Car 0160 (Luggage) (2012) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0161 (Luggage) (2015)  
Car 0162 (Luggage) (2018) (Evacuated 8 Charlies, 2 recruits)  
Car 0163 (Luggage) (2021) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0164 (Luggage) (2024) (Evacuated 4 civilians, 2 recruits)  
Car 0165 (Luggage) (2027) (Evacuated 1 recruit) (+15min for whizz break. Porta-potties on a flatbed mount. 'Nuff said.)  
Car 0166 (Luggage) (2045) (Evacuated 4 Charlies, 1 civilian, 2 recruits)  
Car 0167 (Luggage) (2048) (Evacuated 3 Charlies, 1 recruit)  
Car 0168 (Luggage) (2051) (Evacuated 5 civilians)  
Car 0169 (Luggage) (2054) (Evacuated 8 Charlies as recruits, 5 recruits)

"I tell you, it cannot but be legitimate!" Someone cut loose with a frustrated growl in the car ahead of them. Thankfully, the doors were mostly silent, so the conversation was not interrupted. "An Executor will not allow his or her name to be sullied by presenting false orders under the color of law! Doubly so for the name, faith, and credit of the Will Transcendent himself!"

"I don't trust this! It's too neat, and we did hear something that sounded like grenades go off — on two separate occasions, no less!"

Quintin's team led off into the room, with Carl leading the way on the starboard side (where the two groups of arguing persons were situated at).

"You could ask them?" A pre-teen girl asked, pointing at the approaching troops, none of which had weapons raised.

"Great balls of fire," the Elven lady in the group groaned after she saw what was coming their way.

Carl stopped off at a distance of five meters from the group and nodded twice. "You heard two grenade uses. First time, I flashbanged a wizard trying to use an area-effect death spell. If she had snapped it off, it would have killed everyone in a radius of several hundred meters. Banged her, took control of her, convinced her not to commit mass murder. "

"That's insane! How can one spellcaster have that kind of — " the human lady that had started to ask the question choked up. "Don't tell me, divine-level wizard?"

"Her? No. I am, and one spellcaster can borrow the power of another in the right — wrong — circumstances." Carl flexed his left shoulder to work out a kink.

"And the second?" A Weeb asked sharply, referring to the second (and bloodier) grenade incident.

"Group of Weebs came to the conclusion of what you were arguing about, and decided to ambush us," Megan said. "As soon as we opened the door, they started suppressing fire. Our scrawny pointman flipped them a pair of grenades. One survivor."

"So, what's the right answer?" an elder teen girl amongst the Weebs asked.

"This," Megan said, presenting the commissioning documents to their group as a challenge for one of them to take them up and read them.

The elven lady took up the challenge for the two groups, she took possession of the documents and read through them — quickly, as it happened. After a minute the three pages were returned to Megan and all eyes were on the Elven lady.

"Fake?" the teen girl asked.

"Not fake, perfectly legitimate," the elven lady said. "I could only wish to understand why the Will Transcendent would bestow such a job, and how your group was picked for it."

"Sigma One volunteered to capture, clear, and scrap the Trains," Pete said from behind the front team. "It's what happens when you are a crazy 21st century American Militiaman. You fix problems that other people would run away from screaming."

"Wait, say that again?" an older human lady on the outside of the conversation group asked.

"We fix problems that other people run away from screaming," Pete repeated.

"No, the part before that," she said.

"Oh, about Sigma One? He's a hardass American from 20 — 20 — err, Megan?" Pete asked, unable to remember the year offhand.

"2015 Kentucky, he's Militia from that time," Megan finished up where Pete faltered. "A Train landed in his backyard, and a Slaver shot up his house. He geared up, got up a couple militia buddies, and boarded the Train. Now he's in com — "

" — I'm in," the lady said before Megan could finish the thought.

"If she's in, so am I," an older lady commented.

"I go where they go," the Elven lady said.

"If they're convinced, where do we sign up?" the elder teen Weeb asked.

"Up the platform, upstairs into the administration building, the Induction Group will get you sorted out," Cedric answered, pointing out the door in the vaguely correct direction.

"Got it," and without further word the car was evacuated of persons except the entry team.

"That escalated quickly," Ikuno groused.

The dragon grunted. "All's well that ends," Carl said before he continued the trudge toward the next car.

"Shouldn't that be 'all's well that ends well'? Or am I missing something?" Pete asked.

"All's well that ends well is the fairy-tale version. Fat chance finding that in real life," Carl said. "All's well that ends is the computer programmer version. Much more realistic that way, and it keeps from crashing your servers. Also applies to real life, encounters with stalkers never end well, you just want it to end one way or another."

"Ah, understood, Carl- _sensei_ ," Pete said in a horridly faked accent that couldn't even be considered faux-Japanese.

Car 0170 (Luggage) (2104) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0171 (Luggage) (2107) (Evacuated 9 Charlies)  
Car 0172 (Luggage) (2110)  
Car 0173 (Luggage) (2113) (Evacuated 4 civilians)  
Car 0174 (Luggage) (2116)  
Car 0175 (Luggage) (2119)  
Car 0176 (Luggage) (2122)  
Car 0177 (Luggage) (2125) (Evacuated 2 civilians, 2 recruits)  
Car 0178 (Luggage) (2128)  
Car 0179 (Luggage) (2131) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0180 (Luggage) (2134) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0181 (Luggage) (2137)  
Car 0182 (Luggage) (2140) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0183 (Luggage) (2143) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0184 (Luggage) (2146) (Evacuated 7 Charlies as recruits, 5 recruits)  
Car 0185 (Luggage) (2149)  
Car 0186 (Luggage) (2152)  
Car 0187 (Luggage) (2155) (Evacuated 12 Charlies)  
Car 0188 (Luggage) (2158) (Evacuated 2 Charlies, 4 civilians)  
Car 0189 (Luggage) (2201) (Evacuated 1 civilian) (+1min negotiations)  
Car 0190 (Luggage) (2205) (Evacuated 8 Charlies)

Harold watched the Weebs closely as the eight evacuated the car and started their journey up the platform toward the induction center.

"Hey, Chief, just noticed it's 2205. We drop dead here, or trudge on?"

"We're spitting distance to the 200 car, I say we take it, then set up our bivouac in the 199 car and have the Armored Infantry guard 200 for us. Follow?" Megan asked.

"Unh," Camille groused. "Sleep… must sleep… " she half-moaned, deliberately trying to invoke the classic zombie effect.

"March it like you got a purpose," Megan ordered. "Sleep is a purpose, and we might as well go to an even breakpoint."

"Aye aye," Camille answered wearily.

The entire unit moved toward the next car, but was stopped by a passing thought: "I think I am going to make my overnight nest out of women's underwear," Pete said. It was good for a tired laugh from the group, but they pressed onward.

Car 0191 (Luggage) (2208) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0192 (Luggage) (2211) (Evacuated 2 Charlies)  
Car 0193 (Luggage) (2214) (Evacuated 11 Charlies)  
Car 0194 (Luggage) (2217) (Evacuated 8 Charlies, 2 recruits) (+2min negotiation)  
Car 0195 (Luggage) (2222)  
Car 0196 (Luggage) (2225) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0197 (Luggage) (2228) (Evacuated 5 Charlies, 2 recruits)  
Car 0198 (Luggage) (2231) (Evacuated 3 Charlies)  
Car 0199 (Luggage) (2234) (Evacuated 4 Charlies, 4 civilians)  
Car 0200 (Luggage) (2237) (Evacuated 4 Charlies, 2 recruits)

"All right, troops, we're here. 200 cars, ten hours thirty seven minutes," Megan said.

"Hot damn are my feet feeling every yard of these damnable cars," Scarlet said.

Megan tapped her radio switch. "Undercroft garrison, Rail Guard 1, need security force in car 200 for remain overnight in car 199, how copy?" Megan said.

"Rail Guard 1, Command, acknowledge security request. Get your troops bedded down, we'll have supplies and breakfast waiting for you in the morning. Damn good show, we count total 715 friendly or neutral extracted persons, 11 kills, 1 capture in 10 hours 40 minutes ground action. Solid performance."

"Copy numbers," Megan said as she began fishing through the luggage for something comfy to sleep on.

"Sleep well, troops, you have 1100 cars yet to cover. We'll keep you safe in the interim," the Star Captain in charge tonight answered.

* * *

 **Author's Chapter Afterword** :

Parallel chapters in this story, much fun :)

There have been a few people who mention a bit of apprehension with the Trains as a story device overall, and as a major plot focus in more detail. These two chapters should put such thoughts to rest; a lot can happen in a ten-hour span working across the Trains, and while the 523 Train was short, this one is not so much short. There is a LOT more action to come for the 133628 Train, trust me on that if nothing else. There always is.

Reviews from the first chapter have brought up a rather pointed question as to how I know what happens in the Trains from car to car. The answer to that is actually very much complex in methods, but extremely simple in execution. The truth is, from car to car, I do not know what will happen until the team makes it into the car (or attempts to, in the case of the grenade incident). The method by which I do not know that information is the complex part: the Trains are procedurally generated by a program I wrote just for this purpose in Visual Basic 6 roughly a decade ago. Thankfully, VB6 is a 32-bit compiler, so the programs I wrote ten years ago have survived the transition to more modern operating systems.

The program generates the Trains, and it also conducts travel and encounter on the Trains. I have it set up to operate linear in the Train, and I am planning on adding a nonlinear option to allow easy car bypasses and such. So, when the Train is in play, I don't know what is in the next car until I signal the team to go to the next car. From my perspective, this makes each Train look and act like a new book, especially given the randomization of persons and even major groups on the Trains. When I order a team to enter a new car, there could be ass-grab nothing inside (that did happen in a couple cars, completely empty of luggage and people), there could be a few civilians, a recruit, a shit-ton of luggage and cargo, or a hostile group. I don't know until I 'enter' the car and roll dice on the encounters. Hey, when I said this was storytelling the action of an old Role-playing game, I was not joking. From the procedure-generated random results, I build story arcs and action; Matilda's tale is plenty of evidence how a lone survivor can grow a story of her own, which will become a campaign arc unto itself.

On the meat of the chapter, the story de rigeur is Matilda, this time around. Confused, alone, and with her compadres slain by a combination of circumstance and bad intelligence, she found herself the lone survivor of a broke ambush, a jailbird briefly, and then a lady staring at the light at the end of the tunnel. She had a desire once she knew what went wrong, Hess talked her through the method to fulfill that desire, now comes the challenge of making it happen. Coincidentally, Hess mentioned in prior chapters of the mainline that he is interested in having more formalized academies in the Protectorate, so this is a dual goal fulfillment. Win-win, such as these things are counted.

The action and the team's hijinks were fairly straightforward. Pay attention to Megan and her partner in crime, who used the SHA amulets. They both will find themselves fighting their clothes tomorrow, until they draw a new issue. The sale of those F Preg Master Amulets has not yet been conducted. Those sales are handled as per business operations at the start of the next day's automated processes, and I will be showing the involved bidding war in part of the mainline chapter. Fun times, whereby the team is going to end up rather rich for their efforts and the fast eyes of their pointman Pete, not to mention the Train Bounty that awaits them for surviving this hellwagon, that will not be a sum to sneeze at.

Other than that, nothing else to say at length.

 **NEXT UP** : Megan's Team pushes forward, out of the luggage cars and into the general seating and housing arrangements of the Train. They may have only encountered 700+ in the Luggage area, but the actual passenger areas will not be so thin.

* * *

 **Review Replies** : Two reviews for a side story to an obscure low-priority story, certainly liking! Much thank you!

Holy Dragoon: The cleanout was definitely in their favor, which is why Clint put team 2 on that Train. They are good, but not very socially apt compared to Megan's team. You'll see more of it in coming chapters from Megan, and Sir Launcelot will be watching and taking notes.

The Moogles options are thick, given that Moogles are an optional race in my character generation program now. Har Har Har.

As to your thought on genetic engineering, well, you can bet that such a change is one of those things that a female geneticist would have snuck into the genome somewhere along the line, so…

By Lantern Light: Shape covers physical fitness. There are other physical modification amulets, but have not been seen yet.

THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! Always good to get feedback on a side story!

* * *

 **The Gripe Sheet** :

No gripes for the chapter. Much thanks to **Sieben Nightwing** , **Takeshi Yamato** , and **Necroblade** for cleaning up my prose!

* * *

 **Footnotes** :

No footnotes for this chapter.

* * *

 **Included Works** :

—PRIOR STORY — This story assumes that the reader has read through at least chapter 9 of Sigma 0001.

—Real Life Armaments — too many to name, that is most of the arsenal shown.  
—Real Life Combat Gear — the vests and gear carried by the Militia troops are easily constructible from stuff you can buy on Amazon or Cheaper Than Dirt. No, Seriously, Look it up. Do a search for "UTG Modular 10-Piece Complete Kit", and you have a good look at a starter kit for any serious gearhound.  
—Real Life Concepts

—Personal Works: The Star Empires are mentioned briefly here. Additionally, the Magi Empire is named specifically.

—Anime General: the oddball hair colors  
—Anime General and D&D: the nonspecific concept of Elves, Nymphs, and Sylphs.

—Game: Dungeons and Dragons: It is not clearly shown here yet, but the 133628 Train includes a heretofore unseen race: Hobbits. Several have already been evacuated from the Train, and more will be seen in coming chapters.


	3. Train 133628 Initial Clear Day 2

(Sigma Mercenaries Chronicles, Story 0003, Chapter 03: Train 133628 Initial Clear, Day 2)

(27 March, Magi Year 14408 / Year SL 8838, 0700 Hours Local Time)  
(Railhead Undercroft, Base Boarhound Administration Building, Terra 232)  
(Day 10 of Campaign)

Megan wasn't the first to wake up, but among the four ladies in the unit she was the first. "Morning, boss-lady," Carl said. "How you feeling?"

"Like I slept on a gun," she said offhand. After she levered herself up to standing, her foot found the front sight post of her MP43/1. "Go figure, I did sleep on a gun."

"Mine was my radio, kept driving me nuts when it went off overnight," Carl said.

"I turned mine way down," Megan admitted after she stretched. In so doing, she noticed that several parts of her body felt a bit different than they did the day before — and altogether sore. "Oh man! My legs are cramping up!"

"Here," Carl passed her a canteen. "Check your urine when you whizz. You may be dehydrated. I know I was riding the border of it, and I went through two full bladders of water yesterday."

Megan took a slug of the canteen immediately, and noticed something — "Where did you get the fruit punch flavoring?"

"Straight from the food receptacle," the Dragon Transcendent Mage answered. "I can show you the ordering code, I have two dozen of them squirrelled away in my GP pouch," he admitted.

"I'll want that, definitely," Megan said. Fruit punch was one of her few weaknesses from her prior life as an American farm girl.

"That nap was not long enough," Harold groused as he stirred awake. "What's the word, chief?" he asked after he levered himself to standing by way of using the stock of his Henry lever-action rifle as a crutch.

"Up and at 'em, troops, we have work to do. After Breakfast, shower, and rearmament, that is," she said.

"I vote this unit remains in quarters, preferably asleep, until it is better rested," Pete complained.

"C'mon, Pete, the Trains are not going to clear themselves," Megan ordered, then offered the junior member of the team a hand to stand up. "So how did your 'bras and panties' bed work out last night?"

"Needed more panties, I could still feel my radio through the layering," Pete admitted.

"I'm up," Scarlet admitted. "And my pants are down," she said after her belt failed to keep them in place. She reached down to grab up her trousers, and before she could get a hold on the slackened belt, she toppled forward and left into Ikuno's left leg, which knocked both Rail Guard Operators to the floor. "Owfuck," she grumped after the second operator slammed into her.

"The hell? You all right, Scarlet?" Carl lifted Ikuno off Scarlet by way of the drag handle on Ikuno's body armor, then did the same with Scarlet. "Whoa, you're a bit lighter than last time I pulled you up," he said.

"Yeah, I'm fucking top-heavy now," Scarlet said. "I lost weight below the waist, and it seems to have transferred in part up top," she groused, then took hold on one of the luggage racks to ensure her stability. "This is going to take some getting used to."

"You have time," Megan said.

"I'm going to need a new issue of clothes, boss," Scarlet said. "That amulet definitely caused some sizing mismatch overnight."

"Obviously," Camille said after she stood up.

"Yeah, I need some clothes changes as well," Megan admitted. Hers was not as drastic as Scarlet, but she definitely felt different across her whole body. "This will take some getting used to, but we don't have all day to get used to it. I want to be mobile no later than 0900, which means we need to rearm, chow, shower, get new clothes, and be back here in two hours," she said. "Questions?"

"Can we catch a ride?" Pete asked.

"Certainly," Megan said. "Command, Rail Guard 1-1 requesting transport at car 199 to railhead area."

"Acknowledged, Rail Guard 1 Lead. Transport is en route, ETA 5 minutes."

-x-

(0800 Hours)  
(Administration Building Mess Hall)

"Oh man! I feel alive again!" Pete said after he sat down at the table next to Camille. "Now for some good, solid chow and the obligatory gear-up montage, then we get back to kicking ass and saving lives."

"Do you ever turn it off, Pete?" Carl asked.

"Oh Hells no," the Elven pointman said. "If I turned it off, I'd revert to being like those stodgy bastards that tried playing the 'racial superiority' card against the Magi in millennia past. After reading that bit of history, and tracking my family lineage back to an archer that fired on the Emperor in that campaign, I swore I'd never go down that bullshit path."

"That explains that," Megan said. "I knew there was a reason you were trying to be overly social. I'll have to look up the details, though," she said as she sat down across from Pete. Scarlet sat down shortly thereafter next to Megan.

"Damn, those things really worked," Carl said after he had a good look at the two chief users of the Amulets from yesterday. "You both are toned up and looking a hell of a lot better."

"Thank you," Megan said, not sure what else to say in such a case. Scarlet nodded.

"Going to take some getting used to, though," Scarlet said. "Like I said, now I'm top-heavy, definitely more muscle in my arms and back, kinda feels good."

Pete studiously did not comment on the more obvious observation inherent to the phrase 'top-heavy' in this case. Inasfar as these things were counted, he was not going to draw any attention in that direction, he wanted to see where things would develop further.

Cedric did not explain what he did not fully grasp, but Pete had learned the ins and outs of Amulet Magic from one of his school instructors in years past — a former Combat Mage who loved making the things for extra money and who loved experimenting on herself with them as well. The Amulets were not completely cut and dried as to their effects, and in effect each amulet, even of the same type, would have different results on a person. The inherent magic was not entirely random, though there was such a magic as a 'physical randomizer' amulet that could do some seriously strange shit to a person. It was just that the Amulets could have side effects that were not always predictable.

In this case, Pete figured that the mildly random side effects had hit Scarlet pretty hard, given how much more than prior she was jutting out over the table surface. If he had to guess, Pete figured a little of the same effect had got Megan as well, but nowhere near to the same degree as Scarlet. It wasn't an altogether bad thing, but like she said, it would require some getting used to, he knew. His prior Instructor had done even more radical changes to her physical alignment and proportions, and said that it took her several days to properly rebalance herself.

 _Well, a set of Dragon Scale Six will help with weight distribution_ , Pete thought but did not say aloud. He figured he could add a pouch or two to her lower back to help realign her center of gravity more inward…

"I think I'll do some of the Amulets if we find any today," Camille said. "What about you, chatterbox?" she asked Pete.

"Might hit one or two, my ten-foot flagpole could use some improvement," he said with a straight face.

"The delusion is strong in this one," Harold said as he sat down next to Pete. "I will definitely do a few physical fitness runes. My body is still sore from yesterday, when it should not be."

"We'll all need to harden up," Megan said. "There are over 150,000 of these Trains in service. We will be very busy in years to come."

"Aye," Pete acknowledged the point. With that attitude, of course, and wanting to see where things went in terms of the more randomized side effects of the Amulets, he wasn't about to discourage the unit's experimentation.

 _Hell, maybe I could make the legend a reality?_ He wondered inside the confines of his mind about his self-generated apropos pertaining to flagpoles…

-x-

(0835 Hours)  
(Administration Building Shooting Range / Supply Room, B2F)

Clint entered the shooting range, and immediately thereafter the troops all jumped up to attention and saluted. "Carry on," he said immediately after he returned the salute. "I heard you have a question or two?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, every one of us except Carl picked up some kind of non-standard weapon system on our first day. Are we allowed to carry them back in?" Megan asked.

"Yes, if you want," Clint answered. "Hell, I have no qualms about supplying munitions for their use, either. Just remember, non-standard weapons are a lot harder to support in the field, though, so I'd recommend you either carry them as a drop gun, or carry a more varied mix of standard weapon systems."

"I'll carry it for now," Megan said, then lifted her MP43/1 off the table to show.

" _Sturmgewehr_ , nasty stuff. Grandfather of the modern assault rifle concept. Your call, and that would make a not-bad replacement for your UMP40."

"Oh, so we are allowed to replace our kit as wanted?" Ikuno asked.

"Yes, official ruling as of this point, Rail Guard carries in what they are most comfortable with," Clint said. "Your experience on the Train yesterday, and some fun that Sir Launcelot had, has led us to conclude that this is definitely not a one-size-fits-all problem. UMP40 is good inside a building, but you may have need of a shotgun or assault rifle or even a light machine gun — carry what you think is appropriate, but just remember that you do have to carry it."

"Aye aye," Megan answered. "Pistols?"

"Again, your call, you guys are the ones that have to use them. I'd recommend you don't change up radically on this run, but do some experimentation between this run and the next," Clint suggested.

"Good advice," Curt said. "I'll keep my kit standard for this run, worry about change-ups after we're done," he said.

"Same," Scarlet said.

Down the line, nobody relinquished their default arms, but none of them relinquished their collected weapons, either. It would be that bit of variability that would enamor them to the coming residents of the Trains, and that bit of variability that made it impossible for hostiles in the Trains to properly gauge what they were facing off against.

Car 0201 (Luggage) (0858) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0202 (Luggage) (0900) (Evacuated 1 recruit) (Collected and issued 1 H&K G3A3Z Sniper conversion rifle)  
Car 0203 (Luggage) (0902)  
Car 0204 (Luggage) (0905) (Evacuated 1 civilian) (Found a shipping unit of Penta THR Amulets, each trooper used 1.)  
Car 0205 (Luggage) (0907) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0206 (Luggage) (0909) (Evacuated 3 civilians)

"Confirmed, they are waiting for you," Virtue acknowledged. "Ambush scenario, only this time they have no cover or concealment, but they do have what appears to be a MG '42 in the possession of a teenage girl that looks about half too small to properly control it."

"Anything else we need to worry about?" Megan asked.

"Couple shotguns, a Mp5 product, and the usual assortment of knives, small-bore pistols and revolvers," Virtue said.

"Very well. Quintin, bang 'em when they fire."

The entry man for element 1 took a moment to pull and arm a flashbang, then tripped the near-side door. He reached in, tripped the far-side door into the 206 car, and reflexively ducked back out of the way. It would be that reflex action that saved his life.

Megan's stomach lurched when she heard the classic canvas tearing sound of the MG '42, but thankfully the fire was short-lived. One burst, some of which passed through the doorway, and fire ceased. Much as Virtue suggested, the wench behind the trigger was ill-prepared to use such an awesome weapon, and firing a mere twenty rounds had knocked her on her arse and jammed the gun on impact with the floor.

"Bang out!" Quintin shouted before he tossed the flashbang toward where he thought the machine gunner was. In the interval from toss to detonation, he took up the new G3A3Z and shouldered it, because he knew it would not take long and this was considered a hostile unit. When it flashed, he was the first man through the door. On his way in, he caught sight of the Weeb with the Mp5 and drilled him twice, both rounds in the chest. The brat with the serious sub-gun firepower hit the ground and never moved again.

Scarlet entered second and ducked left as was customary. She did have some serious firepower, a M-32 grenade launcher with 4 rounds, but she had decided to save that for a seriously bad day and made entry with her UMP40. Two pairs of rounds went downrange at the nearest threat, into a large kid with a large revolver, and the four rounds spread across his left arm, abdomen, and one freak round that hit the kid in the pistol hand. He went down hard from the hammering, but it would not be known until well after the shooting that the shock from two solid bone hits in his left arm had put him under. The enemy combatant would never wake from the coma that Scarlet had put him in.

Carl entered third and began the push forward up the right side of the car. As he moved fore, the nearest threat to him was a kid dual-wielding some kind of .22 pistol in his left and a .38 special in his right. He did the same two pair as Scarlet, but being less proficient with sub-guns he missed one of the four rounds, which passed between the tango's left chest and his left arm. The other three caught him in the chest and put him down for the count.

Ikuno made the last move, into the car and left, forcing her way up the outside of the car, her M25 White Feather leading the way. She caught two mid-teens on her side, one with a military shotgun of some kind, the other with the fast-infamous MG '42, and drilled both. The guy with the shotgun was a simple headshot at 10 yards, and after his head ventilated he dropped straight down into a heap at the girl-teen's feet. The wench was trying to pull herself up and get the '42 back in action when Ikuno's round caught her just above the sternum and punched through her spine on the way out the back.

The first recovered amongst the enemy was a Weeb with a Franchi PA-3 short-barrel shotgun. His shot missed Ikuno wide, with the pellets scattering off the inside of the luggage car to cause no harm to the troopers. Carl put paid to the enemy shooter with four rounds between luggage racks in the center of the car, two chest hits and two leg hits hammered him to the ground fast enough that he never even racked the slide on his shotgun for a follow-up shot.

"DROP YOUR DAMN GUNS!" Quintin shouted loud enough to be clearly audible to the Armored Infantry outside the car. The one surviving girl in the group of 8 did not heed the order, and tried drawing down on Quintin, who already had a bead on her. She fired once and missed wide, Quintin fired twice and did not miss the petite blonde, both rounds in her chest in an area roughly two inches from hole to hole. She fired a second time, a classic 'shot from the grave' as her body descended to the floor, which final .44 magnum round went high and smashed into a light fixture behind the entry team.

"HELL WITH YOU!" The final Weeb shouted before he fired a round off at Ikuno with the last shotgun in their group. The kid was a novice, new to firearms and having been on the train for only four months, but by sheer luck he drilled Ikuno in the abdomen from fifteen feet. At that range, the shot spread from 00 Buck was only on the order of 4" pattern from left to right, centered on her tablet pouch, and though the tablet did not survive her armor absorbed the entire shell and all she felt was impact. Ikuno reacted backwards and away from the shot, but Scarlet returned the fire by way of pulling a burst from the tango's left leg up into his chest. Six rounds, six hits, and the last round cored out the twelve-year-old's heart.

"IKUNO!" Carl shouted.

"I'm alive!" she shouted in response. "Armor absorbed it all," she explained.

"Oh wow!" Scarlet said as she propped Ikuno up against the wall and probed the impact point. "Your tablet is toast, but I'm not feeling anything that went through the armor," she said.

"Did its job, that's for sure," Megan said as she approached. "Anyone else hit?" The other troopers checked themselves thoroughly, and found no other evidence of hits. "Do we need a puke break?"

"Not this time," Carl said.

"I'm good," Scarlet said.

"Give me a minute," Ikuno said.

"That's some serious shit," Cedric said after he got a look at the MG '42. "Someone had a hard-on for us."

"Had to do 'em all hard," Quintin said. "Good Gods, I hope the whole freaking Train is not like this," he groused.

"Well, we do what we can," Megan said. "Ikuno, ready to go?"

"Not really, but I'll make it," she answered.

"First element has the rear until Ikuno is mission-ready," Megan ordered.

Car 0207 (Luggage) (0914)  
Car 0208 (Luggage) (0916)

Harold was first into the room for team 2, and went right like usual. His area was clear, so he held off doing anything more than move forward for Cedric to come in behind him as the third entry.

Pete entered second and immediately went left, then swept his corner and around to the right. On his side of the car, the story was a little different from the starboard side. "Five forward," he announced by the team's radio band. "No weapons visible."

"Doesn't make them harmless. Watch your ass," Megan ordered.

After Camille stacked behind Pete, the four began moving up, weapons at low ready and in the general direction of the group. "Sigma Rail Guards!" Pete identified the team. "We are clearing the train! Identify yourselves!" He decided on the real cautious approach, given the events of not ten minutes ago.

As the team approached the group of stragglers, one of the ladies stepped forward with both hands out to her sides, clearly unarmed. "I would like to speak to your unit commander, please," she said stiffly after Pete was within ten meters distance.

"I am here," Megan announced after the entry team halted forward movement. "Megan Christenson, Rail Guard Team 1. You are?"

"Karin Bijon, a Multimage Citizen. You identified yourselves yesterday as the Multimage Protectorate of Sigma?" she asked.

"This is correct," Megan acknowledged.

"I request safcon and refugee status for the five of us in your lands," Karin said. Megan guessed Karin's age at or around 25, the eldest in the group by a bit, with the youngest being a boy definitely not old enough to need a shave. "Or, barring that, I would request direction to the nearest Multimage liaison for extraction home."

"We can induct refugees," Megan said, then tapped her main-band radio. "Virtue, Rail 1, reporting five coming out of car 208."

"Acknowledged, Armored Infantry have been apprised," Virtue answered.

"Out the door, head forward," Megan pointed to the open cargo door. "Up the stairs and follow the signs, Refugee Induction Center will get you squared away."

"Thank you," Karin said. She moved to join the others, but stopped before she left the car. "I heard the shooting a few minutes ago. Was that you?"

"Group that tried to ambush us," Megan admitted. "Nothing special."

Karin turned to face the Rail Guards. "If I may ask, what is the requirement to join your group? Your effort needs bolstering, there are hundreds of thousands of these Trains in service."

"Inquire with the recruitment table in the induction center," Cedric said. "We could use the help."

Karin nodded and bowed, but hesitated at the nadir of her gesture for a moment. "Something is not right," she said, then snapped up. "Which among you is a Dragon?"

"Guilty," Carl raised his hand. "How did you know?"

"You are a Transcendent Dragon, a Blue Dragon if I don't miss my guess. I can sense your aura," she admitted. "I am a Platinum Dragon, myself. My apologies for being so forward."

"No worries," Carl said with a smile. "Doesn't matter, the Protectorate is all-inclusive."

"Thank you," she bowed curtly and jumped out the door to join the others.

"The hell was that about?" Pete asked after twenty seconds of silence.

"That was… complicated," Carl said, then scratched his head. "That was about as close to being outright hit on as you'll see in a first encounter between Dragons," he explained. "This could get interesting."

Car 0209 (Luggage) (0918) (Evacuated 2 Recruits)

"Couple of Weebs ahead," Quintin said after he entered the next car and took his customary outside right position.

"Four, I see them," Carl answered from behind the pointman.

"Easy does it," Scarlet commented.

"I have your back," Ikuno said from behind the left-side pointwoman (Scarlet).

The two teams moved up through the car toward the apparently-disinterested Weebs (Charlie Mafia). "Mornin', kids," Quintin said as they approached to within a reasonable distance of the group.

" G'mornin'," the elder of the two girls in the group answered. Quintin guessed her age near to 15, 16 maybe? "What can we do for you?"

"You heard the announcement yesterday from Sigma Rail Guard, right?" Quintin asked.

"Yeah, not impressed," she answered.

"Why not?" Scarlet asked as she approached with Ikuno close behind.

"We're not interested in leaving," she answered. "I was born on this Train, I think I'm not leaving," she said.

"You do realize we are going to disassemble the Train, right?" Carl waved a finger at the open cargo door. "If you look forward and right, you can see the 523 Train being stripped down right now."

"I don't believe this," she grumped. With a very swift motion, she bolted up and was at the door, looking in the requested direction, until she saw the disassembly effort in the distance.

For a minute, Carl wondered if he had FUBAR'd something in the explanation somewhere, as the girl simply stared at the Train in the distance. That stretched into a second minute after the other three Weebs joined her at the door. "Why?" the larger of the two boys asked.

"Why what?" Scarlet asked after a moment.

"Why are you taking the Train away?" the elder of the two girls asked.

"We came off that Train," Megan answered. "We know what life is like on these Trains, and we are trying to prevent anyone else from being caught up in them."

"You can have a new life — a better life — if you want it," Ikuno completed the thought where Megan left off.

"I don't!" the teenage girl snapped. "I like it right where I am! Why are you taking this away from us?" she half-wailed, but gasped when she caught sight of an Armored Infantryman approaching the door. "What… what is that?" she asked in clear shock as the trooper approached.

The Armored Infantryman set down his shield away from the car and approached the cargo door with only a light machine gun in hand, though the hard-mounted Ion Cannon and 100mm AC were still on his right shoulder and right upper arm Dobergun Mount. When the trooper put his left foot against the frame of the train car, the whole luggage rack rattled. "Yeep, that's scary!" the smaller of the two boys gaped.

Once braced, the trooper unlatched the faceplate on his helmet and pulled it up into the top of his helmet. Below the faceplate was an older Infantryman, goatee and mustache, and the eyes of a soldier who knew his way around a battlefield. "What is it so endearing to you, young one, that you would not leave the confines of these accursed Trains?" the trooper within asked.

"This is…" the teenage girl collapsed to her knees. "This is all I know… This…" her sentence trailed off as she stared through the other four Armored Infantrymen of their point.

"And you would deny yourself the chance to learn more? To live more?" the Point Commander asked after a moment. "These walls are not a prison, young one; these denizens within the cars are not the extent of those you may know." He tapped the muzzle brake of his light machine gun on the outside frame of the cargo door just in front of her knees. "Thine prison is inside your mind, but the cell door stands always open. All you must do is walk; there are people willing, waiting to help you learn to live again."

"And the Slavers?" the younger of the two girls asked, the first thing she had said to anyone since the entry team entered the car.

"Oh, we'll deal with them," Ikuno promised the younger lady.

Car 0210 (Luggage) (0925)  
Car 0211 (Luggage) (0927) (Evacuated 10 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0212 (Luggage) (0929) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0213 (Luggage) (0931) (Evacuated 8 Charlie Mafiosi, 2 recruits)  
Car 0214 (Luggage) (0935) (Evacuated 7 Charlie Mafia, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0215 (Luggage) (0937)

"First amulet of the day," Pete tossed it back through the stack to Cedric, the team expert on Runes. "What is the poison of the hour?"

Cedric took ten seconds to read it over. "Physical fitness rune, pentagon geometry. Any takers?" he asked back through the stack.

"I'll start," Camille offered. She received the amulet and held it to her chest. " _ **The Runes of Asgard shall channel the power of this Amulet into its bearers,**_ " she ran the enchantment from memory, given that she remembered it from repeated uses yesterday.

"Give it a day and you'll feel like a whole new lady," Scarlet said. "Trust me."

"If you find anything to reduce my physical size, I would welcome it," she said. "I've always been as big as I am, but that's a product of living on the Trains for so long. I think I want to shrink down a bit, if there are such?"

"If we find 'em, you'll get 'em first," Cedric assured her.

Car 0216 (Luggage) (0940) (Found and stowed 1 Thundaga Amulet)  
Car 0217 (Luggage) (0942)  
Car 0218 (Luggage) (0944) (Evacuated 2 Charlie Mafia, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0219 (Luggage) (0946) (Evacuated 4 Recruits)  
Car 0220 (Luggage) (0948) (Evacuated 7 Charlie Mafia, 1 Civilian, 1 Recruit)  
Car 0221 (Luggage) (0950) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0222 (Luggage) (0952) (Evacuated 9 Charlie Mafia) (Cedric tagged for personal acquisition 1x M134D Minigun)  
Car 0223 (Luggage) (0954) (Evacuated 2 Civilians)  
Car 0224 (Luggage) (0956) (Inducted 3 Amulets) (Harold tagged for personal acquisition 1x M134D Minigun. Aff, you read that correctly, a second one.)  
Car 0225 (Luggage) (0958)  
Car 0226 (Luggage) (1000) (Evacuated 2 Civilians)  
Car 0227 (Luggage) (1002) (Evacuated 4 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits, 3 Civilians, 1 Recruit) (+2min negotiation)  
Car 0228 (Luggage) (1006) (Evacuated 8 Charlie Mafia) (+2min negotiation)  
Car 0229 (Luggage) (1010)  
Car 0230 (Luggage) (1013)  
Car 0231 (Luggage) (1015) (Evacuated 4 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits) (Collected 1 Tsunami Amulet and 1 shipping unit of 19 unidentified Amulets)  
Car 0232 (Luggage) (1017) (Collected 1 Waterga Amulet, 1 shipping unit of 33 indecipherable Amulets)  
Car 0233 (Luggage) (1019)  
Car 0234 (Luggage) (1021) (Evacuated 3 Civilians, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0235 (Luggage) (1023) (Evacuated 5 Charlie Mafia, 2 Civilians, 1 Recruit)  
Car 0236 (Luggage) (1025) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0237 (Luggage) (1027) (Evacuated 3 Civilians)  
Car 0238 (Luggage) (1029) (Evacuated 2 Recruits)

"Okay, this is a bit different," Ikuno said after she stopped at a pile of clothes on the ground.

"What? Mismatched shorts and a shirt?" Carl asked.

"Certainly not!" Ikuno used the sight riser on her rifle to lift the shorts up.

"Whoa," Megan said after she caught sight of what she was about to completely pass up. "That is a hunk of metal and gemstone."

"A hell of a hunk, actually," Cedric said.

"I think I have an idea for that," Megan said. "Anyone wants to claim it?"

"Hell no," Pete said. "My reputation would not survive being seen with something like that on my head," he said.

"What are you planning, boss?" Scarlet asked.

"Ceremonial crown for the team, or maybe a unit keepsake? Something of that nature?" Megan fronted her idea.

"Works for me," Camille said. Nobody objected to the plan.

Megan picked the rather ornate gold and platinum crown up. It was not a bad piece of material, and surprisingly heavy for what it appeared to be. She dropped it in her backpack, still chewing over the logistics of where she would set up the unit's treasure trove of trinkets and oddball memories.

Car 0239 (Luggage) (1031)  
Car 0240 (Luggage) (1033)  
Car 0241 (Luggage) (1035) (Evacuated 9 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0242 (Luggage) (1037) (Evacuated 2 Recruits)  
Car 0243 (Luggage) (1039) (Evacuated 2 Civilians, 2 Recruits, 9 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0244 (Luggage) (1041) (Evacuated 5 Civilians, 3 Recruits)  
Car 0245 (Luggage) (1043) (Evacuated 4 civilians)

Element 1 led off the entry, Quintin right, Scarlet left, Carl right, Ikuno left. Total time for four to enter was slightly under two seconds. In those two seconds, the entry team identified six armed persons (Weebs) and four unarmed persons.

The first reaction from the occupants at the far end of the car: a four-round burst of 10mm hollow-points from a kid with a Mp5/10.

"Aieee!" Scarlet yelped in surprise after the fourth round of the burst caught her in the left leg. Naturally, having a 10mm slug enter one's leg while in mid-stride is not conducive to maintaining balance, so when she took the hit she slammed into the wall of the luggage car and hit the ground quickly.

Carl delivered the first response for the team, but since he didn't have a clean shot to their heavy hitters he started with the visible threats — a girl with a mossberg shotgun and a boy with a revolver entirely too big for his hands. Both were moving in his direction and both had weapons up, so he hammered them both with three rounds each. The girl took one in the chest and two in the left arm, which dropped her quickly; the boy with the revolver took two in the gut and one in the right upper leg. Between the two, only the boy got a shot off by accident, his finger on the revolver trigger as he took the first hit, but the round went left of Carl and buried itself in a clothes bag.

Quintin did have a clean shot at the heavy hitters on the enemy left side, a pre-teen boy with an Mp5 and a slightly older girl with what looked like an Kalashnikov product at a distance. The girl took the first round from his G3A3Z center chest just before she put her finger down on the trigger; the round caused her to commit six rounds of 'trigger from the grave' on the way down that accomplished nothing but put holes in the side of the interior paneling. The other 'heavy hitter' (Quintin guessed his height at maybe 4'4" and weight in the neighborhood of 85 pounds) took his second round in the left-side chest and went down with no further trigger time. The off-center hit was so violent that his Mp5 was slung over the center partition and landed on the far side of the girl with the Mossberg shotgun.

"DROP IT, KID!" Carl shouted loud enough to be heard outside the closed cargo door on the car.

The elder of the two surviving boys looked at his downed comrades, the two heavy hitters who had both basically dropped at his feet, and decided that he was done with this battle. He immediately threw aside the revolver he carried and raised both hands, with the younger surviving boy doing the same thing.

"Ikuno, Quintin, Pete, secure them. Carl, see to Scarlet," Megan ordered in series.

"Yes ma'am," Carl answered immediately. Ikuno moved forward and left, her M25 covering every twitch of the two surrendered brats, while Pete and Quintin closed up on them.

"Damn this hurts! It's like that shithead got every nerve in my thigh with one round!" Scarlet half-wailed, half-shouted.

"Leg wounds will do that," Curt said simply as he took a knee next to her. " _ **A green wind shall blow through the injured beheld with Cura**_ ," the Transcendent Dragon chanted from memory, invoking the spell _**Cura**_ to correct her injuries. At his skill and distortion power, such a spell was grossly overpowered for her level of injury but for someone of his rating using it or a lesser spell were equivocal — nothing was gained or lost regardless of which was used. By the time the green glow and sparkles faded from around her, her leg wound was completely healed but was still very sore.

"Ow ow ow! Is it still supposed to hurt even after it is healed?" Scarlet gasped after she tried to put pressure on the leg and immediately collapsed into Curt's arms.

"It will hurt for some hours," Curt said consolingly.

"KNIFE!" Pete shouted from the far end of the car, which caused all eyes in the car to immediately track in his direction.

The younger of the two remaining had waited until Pete tried closing up on them to render secured, then went for a small skeletonized combat knife. The swing of the blade was wild and outside, which gave the much-faster pointman an opportunity to get inside the kid's swing arc. Once inside the radius of the blade, Pete put an end to the threat by kicking through the punk. Given the target was much smaller, he was dislocated several yards toward the back of the car, now completely disarmed and deposited away from any other arms.

"DO NOT MOVE!" Quintin bellowed at the second kid, who was still standing with both hands up. Cedric moved up to join the effort and zip-tied the standing kid's hands while Pete covered the downed punk.

"Fucking punk isn't old enough for first grade and he tries knifing a soldier. The hell is your problem, kid?" Pete asked while Cedric handed off the elder of the two survivors to the Armored Infantry outside the car.

"Nose to the floor plates, asshole," Cedric said as he approached the downed punk with his M-14 pointed at his chest.

"What?" the kid asked.

"Turn over, face down to the floor, hands behind your head, do it now!" Cedric ordered.

"Man, I din' do nuffin!" the kid said in an angry rush, but still complied.

"Oh yeah, how many times has that been said in the history of criminal activity?" Cedric let his M-14 hang briefly while he zip-tied the kid's wrists. With that done, it was a simple chore for Cedric to simply lift the kid up by the back of his shirt to standing. Megan escorted the kid to the door, where one of the Armored Infantrymen simply grabbed the whelp by the scruff of his shirt and carried him one-handed to the waiting Military Police escort.

"Can you walk?" Camille asked recently-wounded-and-healed Scarlet.

"Not yet, give me ten?" Scarlet asked.

"Yeah, take ten," Megan decided. "You want his gun?" she asked after Scarlet slumped down onto one of the luggage racks.

"Whose?" Scarlet asked, not yet clear enough of mind to guess what Megan meant.

"The kid that got your leg," the team lead clarified.

Scarlet simply stared at the kid in question where he had died. While a shot from a .308 battle rifle was survivable, technically, most youngsters could not handle such physical trauma and the sheer shock of such a strike was normally fatal even if the gunshot was not immediately so. Still, he had been armed, he had fired first, and he had fired without any form of challenge or defiance, which made him a clear and unwarranted aggressor. By the book, this was a clean incident in terms of legal ramification; both Magi and Sigma law made clear the consideration that any hostile act, regardless of age, gender, creed, or 'protected' status, could be returned in kind. There would be some moral absolutist somewhere in Existence that decried the incident for (insert reason here), but Scarlet simply reminded herself that such moral absolutists were not the persons that were going car by car in the Train, being shot at by these punks.

Fifteen seconds later, she had made her choice. "I will take it," she answered.

Car 0246 (Luggage) (1057)  
Car 0247 (Luggage) (1059)  
Car 0248 (Luggage) (1101)  
Car 0249 (Luggage) (1103) (Evacuated 5 civilians)  
Car 0250 (Luggage) (1105)

-x-x-x-

The whole experience — the first time she had set foot off the Train — was something both frightening and exhilarating to Alexandra.

It was not that Alexandra knew nothing of the outside world, she could easily see it from any of the exposed windows on the Train (there were ten exposed cars prior to Sigma capturing the Train) and she often sat at one of the booth tables in the exposed dining car to just watch the outside world. Her personal love in such a happenstance was to discuss the environment with other residents of the Train, and thus learn something of what she was seeing outside the windows. The only caveat was that she could never force herself to open the door and exit the Train, for the inside of the Train was her home and she did not want to leave what she knew at a subconscious level.

A charitable person would call her education standard 'a street education'. Someone less than charitable would call her uneducated, but that was not entirely accurate. Someone completely uneducated would not have survived 16 years on the Trains. More to the point, even someone hyper-educated would not have survived 16 years on the Trains, as knowledge does not constitute power on the Trains. Only those with proper survival instinct and understanding of both the flow of the train and skill of arms ran a decent chance of walking away alive. On that skillset, her late mother had not failed her: Alexandra had survived several purges of the Train's occupants by playing smart when Slavers moved through the train en masse. Skills of arms she had acquired amongst the militant factions of the Weebs, making her lethal enough under the right circumstances.

The key component of surviving the Trains, though, was who you hung with. Having the right friends in this environment meant survival; the wrong crew usually resulted in death or gross violation, often times both. Alexandra learned quickly after her mother died who was worth keeping around, and who to avoid. In the here and now, she thanked herself for knowing when to keep one and when to boot one.

"This is good," Morris said as they passed the end of the Train Engines. "If this land is a possession of the Multimages, then we're totally in luck," he concluded as a point of Armored Infantry looped back down the next platform over, working a roving patrol route between the two Trains.

"Will we owe them anything special?" Christy asked while they crossed into the drivelane for heavy equipment at the railhead. An Armored Infantryman standing sentry pointed a lighted wand at a stairwell.

"No, the Magi don't play that way," Morris assured them. "We won't be able to take it easy, though, they don't believe in laziness."

Alexandra nodded silently, still taking the new environment in. The world, so far, consisted of a vaulted ceiling supported by massive stone (?) pillars and some thirty-odd rail lines for Trains. In front of the 133628 Train, a large open space with some kind of strange flooring and some heavy equipment drew her attention and curiosity, but she decided to play it safe and follow the directions of the very serious Armored Infantry.

Upstairs, the environment was quite a bit different. The ceiling was lower and the room was much brighter lit, and the space wasn't open like the railhead. All manner of machines populated this area, but primacy of place was occupied by two rows of five very large equipment frames that surrounded large circular units of some kind. "This must be the power room for the building," Morris declared. He stopped at one of the large machines in the center and read over the console. "Yes, these are industrial fusion reactors, these will power the building," he guessed.

"Is this something we need to worry about?" Alexandra asked plaintively. She brought Morris into her group about a year ago, and never regretted the decision. He was not human, but he passed for human most of the time and he was Dark Moon Empire, which made him very knowledgeable about many things courtesy of his first years of education.

"No, but it means that whoever owns this place knows how to handle all the equipment — it's another good sign that we're in a safe place."

"Okay," Alexandra answered, though she really didn't mean it. Everything around more complex than the stoves in the Train eateries tended to worry her, but she held her peace on the subject.

At the far end of the room, another staircase led upward and Christy led the group to the new level. At the top, another Armored Infantryman waved them down a side hallway. "That looks like it is it," she said after they caught sight of the tail end of persons coming off the Train. "So many! I hope we won't have to fight them for food!"

"Don't think so, looks like everyone else is already fed," Marco said, the first thing he had said since they departed the Train. The smaller of the two boys in Alexandra's team, he was twelve and had spent most of his life from his third year on the Train. Now twelve, Alexandra treated him like a little brother she had never had, though he didn't always appreciate the attention. Supposedly he was from a far older time, but he adapted to the Train with flexibility when Alexandra's mother took him in as a stray.

"Think we can stay together, or will they separate us?" Morris asked.

"Not sure," Christy answered.

"We stay together, even if we have to run," Alexandra decided.

"Okay, just say when, then, and I'll create a distraction," Christy acknowledged. A year younger than Alexandra but a bit taller, Alexandra had discovered Christy in the bathroom stall of a sleeper car after she had escaped her restraints and used her magic skills to kill eight slavers in the various sleeper rooms. With those kinds of results, a good heart, and a mischievious streak, Alexandra had immediately taken a liking to the otherwise plain jane refugee. The magic skills had immediately endeared her to the Weebs, which ensured her safety and well-being on the Train, and also gave Alexandra's bunch a bit of prestige amongst the other Charlie Mafiosi. Christy wouldn't say a word about her past or why she had such magic talents, but Alexandra knew she would find out… eventually.

"You can leave or you can remain, you will not be stopped," a lady in green armor similar to what the Rail Guards were wearing said as she stopped next to the group. "No need for distractions or combat, we do not hold people against their will so long as they do nothing wrong."

Alexandra immediately noticed that this lady was a bit older than the common fare on the Trains, and a rather serious person in all likelihood. Her choice of weapons were diverse and significant, with some kind of assault rifle their group had never before seen, a pistol, a knife, and two types of grenades. She was being followed by another lady, younger, with very similar gear and weapons.

"You're not Magi, I guess?" Morris asked / commented.

"No, I am Protectorate, not Magi. You four came off the second Train, right? The long one?" the lady asked.

"We did," Christy said calmly. Alexandra could tell she was anything but calm right now, but thankfully not panicking.

The lady nodded. "The second Train, the shorter one, I was one of the four that swept through it and cleared it. Now I work to help get people to a proper home." The lady looked to Morris. "You asked if you would be separated? If you wish, you may live together, that is your choice. The induction group will arrange quarters and orientation for you all." She straightened up a bit. "Be at ease, kids. You are no longer in danger as with life in the Trains. Now you will need to learn where you want to go with your lives."

"Thank you," Alexandra said, though she wasn't entirely sure why. She wasn't sure if what the lady said was something that required it or not, since it was a bit confusing.

"Good luck," the lady said, then turned to depart the area.

Alexandra simply watched the two ladies leave, though she internally wondered why she felt better about her new fate when she was very thoroughly confused.

-x-x-x-

Car 0251 (Luggage) (1107) (Evacuated 1 Civilian, 4 Charlie Mafiosi) (Collected 4 combat spell amulets)  
Car 0252 (Luggage) (1109) (Evacuated 4 civilians, 8 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0253 (Luggage) (1111) (Evacuated 2 Recruits) (Collected 1 Merton Amulet)  
Car 0254 (Luggage) (1113) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0255 (Luggage) (1115)

"Well, we have found the mother-lode," Quintin said.

"Cedric, you're on," Pete tapped on a shipping crate of the wooden amulet blocks.

Cedric checked the entirety of the group of amulets. "Lesser physical strength enhancements, single use each." He picked up an Amulet from the ground next to it. "This one is a more powerful quad-use Amulet, same type."

"Any takers?" Megan asked.

"I'll make use of the Quad," Scarlet volunteered. Of the three ladies, she was still the weakest but determined to correct it and maintain that correction. She was also not afraid to trust in the magic arts, hence her willingness in this case.

"It's yours," Megan passed her the Amulet in question. Scarlet wasted no time putting it to use.

Thirty seconds later, the rose red glow faded from around her. "Slightly disappointing, actually, that I do that and it takes overnight to get results."

"It's called magic, not miracles," Cedric pointed out.

"Anyone else?" Megan asked.

"You know, I'll do a few of the singles," Harold said. "Can't hurt, I guess."

"Could be embarrassing," Scarlet said.

"I will take my chances," the staunch Elven rearguard said. He received five of the single-use amulets and immediately put them to work.

After the glow faded from around Harold, Megan looked around the team. "Listen up, guys. We're doing this to better ourselves, but the job is now on us to sharpen up and stay there. We're in this for the long run, we need to make sure we're just as good mentally and lethally as we are growing in physical talents."

"Yes ma'am!" Pete said with a smile.

"Move out," she ordered.

Car 0256 (Luggage) (1119) (Collected 3 combat and 2 unidentified Amulets)

"Recognize this?" Camille asked after Cedric failed to identify the fifth Amulet found around the luggage car.

Cedric took only a few seconds to recognize it. "Yeah, it's what you asked for, but it's a lot more powerful than you'll need," Cedric said.

"How powerful?" Camille asked.

"It is a ten-use Amulet. If you used it, it might reduce your physical size below survivable," he guessed. "I'd advise we split it at least two ways, maybe more."

"I'm in," Scarlet said.

"I could stand to shrink some," Quintin volunteered.

"Same with me," Megan acknowledged the intention.

"What the hell, might as well enjoy the adventure," Pete decided.

"Five-way split dilutes the result significantly, but it helps everyone," Cedric said. He handed off the Amulet to Camille. "Get everyone in position and do it," he said.

Once the four other volunteers were ready, she cut loose with the enchantment. In this case, all five were surrounded by a black aura, briefly, before it cut out ten seconds later.

"We'll know soon enough how well it went," Cedric said, referring to the next day. True to his word, all five of the subjects would need new issues of clothing the morning after doing so.

Car 0257 (Luggage) (1123) (Evacuated 2 Recruits)  
Car 0258 (Luggage) (1125) (Evacuated 3 Civilians, 2 Charlie Mafiosi) (Collected 1 combat spell amulet, Camille found and used 1 Size Reduce Amulet)  
Car 0259 (Luggage) (1127) (Evacuated 1 Civilian, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0260 (Luggage) (1129)  
Car 0261 (Luggage) (1131) (Evacuated 5 Recruits)  
Car 0262 (Luggage) (1133)  
Car 0263 (Luggage) (1135) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)  
Car 0264 (LAST LUGGAGE CAR) (1137) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0265 (Seats, 1 Level) (1139) (Evacuated 2 Civilians, 2 Mafiosi)  
Car 0266 (Seats, 2 Level) (1141) (Evacuated 5 Recruits, 2 Mafiosi)  
Car 0267 (Seats, 1 Level) (1143)  
Car 0268 (Seats, 2 Level) (1145) (Evacuated 15 Charlie Mafiosi) (+2min Negotiation)  
Car 0269 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1147)

"Yeppers, definitely following the pattern of the other train, this is a sleeper car," Quintin commented. He was referring to the semi-regular pattern of five seat cars — sleeper car — bath car — sleeper car — bath car — miscellaneous car, with the last in that series being either a single-unit house, double-unit house (one apartment per floor of a double-decker car), dining car, lounge car, or something similar.

"Good, keep it moving," Scarlet recommended sharply.

Quintin moved around the corner of the toilet room at the end of the row of sleepers and peeked around the corner. "Clear," he reported after it became obvious that there was nobody in the corridor and likely nobody in the rooms, but they would still check each sleeper car as was proper for a full sweep clearing operation.

Carl stacked up on Quintin's rear, put his hand on Quintin's right shoulder, and gave it a squeeze. The procedure for clearing sleeper rooms was a two-phase dance, whereby the troopers moved in pairs to complete two separate but linked objectives: secure the corridor, and clear each room successively. Quintin and Carl moved forward to the frame of the first room, with Quintin on point he took aim into the room with his DMR while Carl aimed down the corridor. Again Carl gave Quintin's shoulder a squeeze to signal go, then the two made a fast entry into the room. Front to back the entire room was not quite 3 meters wide, so clearing it — determining there were no persons or hazardous materials in the room — required roughly five seconds. "Clear," Carl announced when they determined the room was safe.

On the announcement of 'clear', Team 1 Element 2 (Scarlet and Ikuno) took over. After Element 1 ducked into their room, Scarlet became the de facto pointman for the team, rifle pointed downrange with Ikuno doing the same by bracing on Scarlet's shoulder. After the clear signal, Scarlet moved up to the next room (closed) and stacked on the door, waiting for Ikuno's go command. Once the DMR team trooper gave the go command squeeze, Scarlet popped the door, ducked into the room and began her sweep. Again, the room came back clear, so she announced it and returned to the door to await Quintin and Carl passing them for the next clearing action.

The Element 1 pointman only made it a step past the doorframe of the second sleeper before the name of the game changed. "Incoming!" Quintin announced after he saw movement at the far end of the car.

"Shit! Adults! Armed adults!" Someone at the far end of the car shouted. At least two of the entrants ducked back toward the door to the next car, two ducked into the number 15 sleeper car. After a moment, the eldest of the two boys in the group peeked out into the corridor from the sleeper room, then quickly ducked back once he realized he was being watched.

Quintin took a knee against the interior wall and braced his G3A3Z at the low ready. "Kid, we're not here to harm you, and we're not here to take slaves! We are with the Protectorate of Sigma!" the pointman shouted.

"Yeah fuckin' right! Pull my other leg, asshole, it's got bells on it!" the kid shouted in response.

"Gotta give him credit for survival instinct, even if he is a bit lippy," Curt acknowledged the point.

"We're not going back with you!" A revolver came around the corner and the teen snapped off two shots. Given he was blind-firing, expectation of accuracy was near zero and that is exactly what he scored.

"Look, kid, if you want to check me for tattoos, I'll gladly strip down to my pants to prove I'm not a Slaver," Quintin offered.

The pointman's offer struck a note: "You serious?" he asked after he peeked out of the sleeper room briefly.

"Not joking, kid," Quintin said.

"What about one of the girls?" the kid asked.

Both Scarlet and Ikuno shook their heads negative to the extended offer. "That's probably going to be pushing it, kid," Quintin answered.

"Uhh, fine, I'll take you up on that offer," the kid said. "Room 7, Danny, check him," the teen delegated the job to one of the other kids. "Leave your rifle and sub where you are," the kid said after Quintin stood up.

"Got it," Quintin handed his rifle off to Ikuno and propped the sub-gun against the wall. "Time to put my body where my mouth just wandered me into," he said sardonically.

The pointman met the subordinate Weeb halfway down the car, at the 7 room. "Any funny business and I will shoot you until the gun goes click," the not-yet-a-teen kid warned Quint.

"Roger that," Quintin acknowledged the point, then ducked into the sleeper car. "This will take a few minutes, it isn't easy getting into or out of our gear set," Quintin warned the kid before he turned to face the bed.

For the Rail Guard team, the task of removing their gear was a several-step process. First, Quintin started by unbuckling the upper arm guards and he placed those on the bed. Second, he unlatched the side tightening lugs on the main Dragon Scale Six hauberk that provided the main protection and MOLLE platform to attach the rest of their gear. Removing the upper body armor was not easy, Quintin had to reach over his shoulder, lift up on the body armor to relieve weight on his shoulders, and slide his arm into the body armor. With one arm loosed, he bent forward and effectively pushed the armor over his head and onto the bed. Once clear of that vital piece of gear, Quintin unlatched his belt from his drop-leg platforms and unbuckled the belt and H-Harness so that could be piled on the bed.

"Holy shit, how much gear do you wear?" the kid asked in shock.

"Oh, about thirty kilos' worth," Quintin said matter-of-factly. He stripped off his BDU shirt, his undershirt, and with that last article he had fulfilled his offer. "See, kid? Not a tattoo on me," the pointman said.

"Okay, then, what the hell's the deal here?" the Weeb asked, his pistol pressed muzzle-first against the small of Quintin's back.

"We're evacuating everyone from the Train. We're under contract to completely clear and disassemble every Train like this."

The kid pressed the muzzle in a bit tighter. "And what about us?" he asked.

"We are evacuating and providing homes to the refugees. No slavery, we are a Protectorate of the Multimages, so when we capture Slavers we turn them over to the Mages to be dealt with." Quintin silently hoped the kid did not have his finger on the trigger, but expected the kid did. One wrong move, his fault, the Weeb's fault, nobody's fault, and Quintin would need some major medical assistance in a hurry. "If you want to go home, we can arrange that, if you want to remain with Sigma, we can arrange that as well. The only point is, you can't remain on the Train. We will begin disassembling it once we're done with the next Train over yonder," Quintin waved toward where he thought the 523 Train should be parked.

The muzzle of the pistol left Quintin's back. "Okay, mister, you've made your point. I'm not giving up my gun, though. I've used this on two Slavers in the past year."

"Damn good, makes my job easier," Quintin said truthfully. "Keep your gun, keep it with you, even. It's not against the law, though you may be required to take safety training for it. Not sure on those regs."

"If you're lying to me, mister, I'm going to follow up on my prior threat," the kid said. In a complete lack of proper tactical form, the kid simply stepped out of the room and turned his back to the rest of the team. "He's clean, no tats," the Weeb announced.

Quintin began the process of gearing back up at the same time the other three Weebs moved to approach the Rail Guard troops. Unbeknownst to the team, Quintin's action had been captured by a security camera that Virtue had access to, and the entire speech had been broadcast throughout the Train. The footage would go a long way to defusing any future encounters, and would net Quintin more than a few offers for dates or bedside comfort from the older residents of the Train.

Car 0270 (Bath Car, Individual Stalls (20)) (1159) (Evacuated 13 civilians)  
Car 0271 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1201) (Evacuated 9 Civilians, 6 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0272 (Bath Car, Individual Stalls (20)) (1203) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0273 (House Car, Single Level) (1205)  
Car 0274 (Dining Car) (1207) (Evacuated 27 civilians, 2 recruits)  
Car 0275 (Seats, 1 Level) (1209)  
Car 0276 (Seats, 2 Level) (1211) (Evacuated 12 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0277 (Seats, 2 Level) (1213) (Evacuated 5 civilians)  
Car 0278 (Seats, 1 Level) (1215) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0279 (Seats, 1 Level) (1217)  
Car 0280 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1219) (Evacuated 21 civilians, 10 Charlie Mafia) (+5min negotiation)  
Car 0281 (Bath Car, Individual Rooms (14)) (1226) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafiosi) (+2min negotiations)  
Car 0282 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1230) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0283 (Bath Car, Individual Rooms (14)) (1232) (Evacuated 14 civilians) (+2 min for whizz break)  
Car 0284 (House Car, Single Level)) (1236) (Evacuated 5 civilians)  
Car 0285 (Lounge Car) (1238) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0286 (Seats, 2 Level) (1240) (Evacuated 5 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0287 (Seats, 1 Level) (1242) (Evacuated 13 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)

For the seat cars, the entry process was different from the sleeper cars.

Given the car number was an odd car, Team 1 led off. Quintin entered immediately and went right to clear his corner, then began sweeping left across the breadth of the Train Car. Scarlet entered second, ducked left and cleared her corner, then began sweeping right toward the center. Carl and Ikuno followed suit, going right and left respectively, with their primary purpose being the far end of the Train car first, then working inward. The entire entry process took roughly three and a half seconds for the four troops.

The entry routine ended with four gunsights on a group of roughly a dozen Weebs.

"That was fuckin' awesome! Where can we learn how to do that?" a kid that Scarlet guessed in the neighborhood of 9 or so asked. By voice, he sounded like a boy, but she wasn't 100 percent sure at the distance involved.

"We're always looking for help, but you have to be old enough to make the cut," Quintin said after he relaxed his weapon to low-ready. "Anyone in here sixteen or older?" he asked. No hands were raised.

"I am fifteen, does that count?" a rather large teen asked.

"Close but not quite," Scarlet answered. "Sixteen is the cutoff without special permission. That said, you're not shit out of luck if you're too young. You study up, go through academy, you can walk in the door to Sigma mostly trained and ready to take on the advanced job training."

"And if we don't want to fight any more?" an early teen girl asked.

"You're not required to sign up for a combat detail," Megan said after she approached behind the entry team. "If you want to go support services, we can find you an Academy position for it, if you want to go completely civilian, you have only school requirements and then you're free to choose your own path."

"Hell yes, where do we sign up? That is awesome!" A slightly older teen girl half-shouted.

"Finally, out of here and onto stable ground again!" a better-educated twelve-year-old said.

"I wish I could go home," the larger teen Weeb said.

"And that is also an option, but we're still working on it," Quintin said. "We are developing the capabilities to take people home, but it's not easy or cheap," he admitted.

"Anything I can do to help?" the eldest Weeb asked. He was carrying a Mossberg 500 Cruiser, a fairly common shotgun in the confines of the Trains because of its compact size and nasty firepower.

"Any Mercenary work we do, any money we earn as a Protectorate, it all helps us rescue people and get home," Megan said. "I came off the Train two lanes over, the one they're disassembling right now." In the distance, the kids could see the bright flashes of an acetylene cutting torch at work on the structure of one of the train cars. "I want to go home as well, I've been a few years away from home. I'm here to help people and save lives, but someday I want to go home, visit family and tell them of what is happening."

"Can't guarantee when, but we're aiming to get everyone home who wants it," Ikuno pointed out.

"Where do we sign up?" one of the younger boys asked.

"Out the door, forward to the railhead, the Armored Infantry will direct you where to go for the induction center," Megan instructed them.

Thirty seconds later, the Rail Guard team was left alone in the car. "That was nice and easy," Quintin said.

"Good encounter when I don't have to shoot anyone," Ikuno pointed out.

"We'll just have to trust to our luck going forward," Megan said. "And our witty charms. Definitely need the charms."

Car 0288 (Seats, 2 Level) (1247)  
Car 0289 (Seats, 1 Level) (1249) (Evacuated 7 Weebs as Recruits)  
Car 0290 (Seats, 2 Level) (1251) (Evacuated 14 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0291 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1253) (Evacuated 5 Recruits, 4 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0292 (Bath Car, Individual Rooms (14)) (1255) (Evacuated 4 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0293 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1257) (Evacuated 20 Civilians)  
Car 0294 (Bath Car, Individual Rooms (14)) (1259) (Evacuated 11 Civilians, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0295 (House Car, Double Level) (1301) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0296 (Dining Car) (1303) (Evacuated 3 Civilians) (+20min for hot chow)  
Car 0297 (Seats, 2 Level) (1325)  
Car 0298 (Seats, 2 Level) (1327)  
Car 0299 (Seats, 2 Level) (1329)  
Car 0300 (Seats, 2 Level) (1331) (Evacuated 5 Civilians, 2 Recruits, 6 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits)

-x-x-x-

(Same time as above)  
(Base Mess Hall, Base Boarhound, Terra 232)

"This is the mess hall?" Morris asked after he stepped in. There was a fair amount of persons in the hall, but it was by no means packed.

"Looks like it," Alexandra said. Some of the gear at the food counter reminded her of the dining cars from the Trains, but definitely not to a complete degree. If anything, Alexandra could fairly immediately tell that it was set up far more efficient than the grill section in the dining cars. To her eye, this was designed to serve whole crowds, whole cars of people, in short order.

"Wonder what we have to do for a meal here," Christy grumped. Some of the cooks on the Trains operated for free, others did not.

"You are new to the facility?" a voice from behind them asked. The four refugees all looked at the guy in question, but none immediately answered.

Marco had the two word descriptor for what the four were thinking. "Holy shit," he barely breathed after a few seconds.

If anything, Alexandra figured the guy in question was easily too tall to fit through the car doors on the Trains, and likely too massive just the same. He positively dwarfed Marco, whose head barely reached up to the massive man's waist.

"I get that a lot around these parts," the massive guy said nonchalantly. "Which shocked comment that tells me that you are new to these parts. Used to the food processes on the Trains?"

"Yes… sir," Christy barely squeaked in answer.

"Similar process here. Follow me." The massive soldier (Alexandra figured him military of some kind due to the uniform and arsenal) waved them forward as he stepped around their knot. Alexandra figured it not in her interest to disobey someone who could probably pick her up and use her forearm arm as a toothpick, so the group followed in the same fashion that a schoolkid would follow a rather stern teacher. "Tray and silverware," he said as he grabbed each and set it on the tray platform. Each of the four followed suit. "Move right to left, grab what you want, but be civil and smart about it. Use the provided serving utensils; more than a few former train residents just go by hand, which is not proper conduct for a mess hall that serves several thousand meals a day."

"That's… a bit wrong," Morris said.

"It happens." The four refugees were rather aghast at the size of the portions this massive trooper had spooned out for himself, with each aiming a bit lower for their own trays. "It will take a bit to get used to life away from the Trains, doubly so when you move outside the base walls and into the world. You can adapt, if you're willing to learn."

"What'll it be today, Star Captain?" the man at the cutting board asked.

"Give me about six from the turkey pile, ne?" the massive soldier said.

"No problem," the chef speared a significant pile of turkey slices and dropped them on one of the open slots of his platter. "And for you four?"

Alexandra took a bit of a look at the selection. "Just one slice of the same stuff," she said.

"Keep it moving, kids," the big guy said. "Last stop is drinks. Water is recommended, but there are fruit juices, milks, and carbonated drinks available." The trooper drew for himself a rather large mug of water, easily more than Alexandra would drink in a day. "Remember, trays, foods, drinks. Keep it civil, use the utensils and don't hold up the line. Keep it smart: don't overeat, but don't starve yourselves. Overeating is weakness, starving yourself is weakness. Weakness does not help you in the long run."

"Yessir," Alexandra and Christy both answered at the same time.

"Grab a seat," the massive trooper waved them to one of the mess hall tables. The four kids sat down on the near side, and the trooper sat down on the far side of the table. "What are your stories?" he asked as he used a pepper grinder to season some of his food.

"Born on the Train, lived there my whole life," Alexandra said. "Nothing special about it," she admitted.

"Decline to answer on my past, but I was abducted by slavers and brought on the Train by them for sale. I slipped my handcuffs and killed them all by magic," Christy admitted.

"Damn good show," the trooper said. "You two?"

"New entrant, only been on the Train for two years," Morris answered. "Was Dark Moon citizen before I was abducted from my home at night."

"Abducted young, adopted by Alexandra's mother, have just been with her since," Marco explained briefly. "You have a story?"

"Not much of one," the massive trooper answered. "I was born into the warrior creche, and grew up learning the art of war from a young age. I am Multimage, an instructor of new troops and primarily an Armored Infantry soldier. It's what I do."

"Why?" Christy asked.

"It is the ultimate test of a person, combat is. If you can win on the battlefield, there are few obstacles in front of you that cannot be surmounted," the soldier answered. "I figured I would push myself until I find my breaking point, but along the way I found I am better at teaching others how to push themselves. If you value pushing yourselves, you shall find your own personal breaking points, but you will also discover other things that you want to learn."

"Exploration and challenge?" Christy asked.

"Aff, something along those lines," the massive trooper answered. "Inside the military or outside, you will find something, so long as you do not give up looking and do not give up on yourself. On that, there are no secrets, only determination to try."

The lesson in the Star Captain's explanation would be the four refugees' motivational touchstone for years to come. Each would find a separate path, but the four would not stray far from each other in location or friendship.

-x-x-x-

Car 0301 (Seats, 1 Level) (1333) (Evacuated 15 Weebs)  
Car 0302 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1335)  
Car 0303 (Bath Car, Stalls (20)) (1337) (Evacuated 5 civilians, 1 recruit)  
Car 0304 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1339) (Evacuated 12 Civilians)  
Car 0305 (Bath Car, Gender-Split Rooms) (1341)  
Car 0306 (House Car, Single Floor) (1343) (Evacuated 9 Civilians)  
Car 0307 (Lounge Car) (1345) (Evacuated 14 Weebs)  
Car 0308 (Seats, 2 Level) (1347)  
Car 0309 (Seats, 1 Level) (1349)  
Car 0310 (Seats, 2 Level) (1351)  
Car 0311 (Seats, 1 Level) (1353) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)  
Car 0312 (Seats, 2 Level) (1355) (Evacuated 1 Charlie Mafiosi)

Pete led off into the 312 car for his team. Once inside past the doors, he barely made it to his corner before movement drew his aimpoint to a barely-past-ten Weeb (Charlie Mafiosi) with a Glock product and not much else to his name.

Harold entering next and doing his corner changed the name of the game quickly. "Okay, okay, I won't resist, I'll go back into the slave pool," the Charlie Mafiosi kid said preemptively, and made a show of throwing aside his pistol. His next action was to raise both arms in the classic surrender pose.

"Okay then, not what I was expecting to hear," Camille said after she formed up behind Pete.

"Sorry, kid, we don't operate a slave pool," Harold told the kid. "We do operate a pool for dead slavers, though, so if you know any, we can make sure a few bodies are thrown in the deep end."

"Wait, what?" the kid asked, still holding his hands up toward the ceiling. "You're not here to enslave me?"

"No, we're just clearing the train," Camille said. "We're not enslaving people, we're pulling them off the Trains, rescuing them."

"Rescuing people? Awesome! Can you get me home?"

"Maybe, kid, might be a little while though. We'd have to find your home first," Megan said after she closed up behind the entry team.

"I don't know of any Slavers, I thought you were it for this segment of the Train," the kid said. "Where do you want me?" he asked.

"Collect your pistol and head up toward the railhead," Cedric waved a finger in the direction he needed to go. "The Armored Infantry will direct you where to go."

"Thanks mister!" the kid picked up and pocketed his Glock, and was out the door in a hurry.

"Another car, another rescue," Megan said after the kid was out of earshot. "Let's move."

Car 0313 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1358) (Evacuated 14 Civilians, 2 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0314 (Bath Car, Gender-Split Rooms) (1400) (Evacuated 12 Civilians, 3 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0315 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1402) (Evacuated 14 Civilians, 9 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0316 (Bath Car, Stalls (20)) (1404)  
Car 0317 (House Car, Double Floors) (1406) (Evacuated 5 Civilians)  
Car 0318 (Storage System Car) (1408)  
Car 0319 (Seats, 2 Level) (1410)  
Car 0320 (Seats, 2 Level) (1412)  
Car 0321 (Seats, 2 Level) (1414)  
Car 0322 (Seats, 1 Level) (1416)  
Car 0323 (Seats, 2 Level) (1418) (Evacuated 12 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0324 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1420)  
Car 0325 (Bath Car, Stalls (20)) (1422)  
Car 0326 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1424) (Evacuated 1 Weeb)  
Car 0327 (Bath Car, Stalls (20)) (1426) (Evacuated 9 civilians)  
Car 0328 (House Car, Double Floors) (1428) (Evacuated 5 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0329 (Dining Car) (1430) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 1 Charlie Mafiosi as a recruit)

Given the odd car number (329), Team 1 lead the way into the car in the usual fast tactical entry fashion. In the dining car, they encountered only three civilians and one teen behind the grills.

"Aww hell yeah!" The teen behind the grill shouted after she realized who the armed stiffs were. "Rail Guards! In the House!"

"Damn, that smells like some good cooking," Quintin said.

"Yeah, what is that good cookin' that's running up there?" Scarlet asked.

"Oh, just some pepper steak," the teen behind the grill said. "Tryin' to expand my cooking skills. Any sod around here can slap a burger on the grill, but I aim for better."

"Damn, and we just ate an hour ago," Ikuno grumped from behind Scarlet.

"I am not going to stuff myself while on duty," Megan said. "That smells very good, though. What say you to using that skill for professional purposes?"

"Professional? As in a paid job for cooking?" she asked.

"Yeah, why not?" Quintin asked. "If you're that good as amateur hour on the Train, I think you can probably do that good or better and get paid for it."

"But — damn, but I wanted to go to college… if I ever got home, that is," she said.

"Didn't the Boss say he was going to recommission the university in Jamestowne?" Megan asked Pete.

"Yeah, even assigned that one girl as the President of the College until further notice," Pete said. "Can't remember her na — Matilda! Matilda Jaspene!"

"Oh?" the cook turned the burner off under her skillet. "I'm listening," she said.

"Do a four-hour stint in the base mess hall, maybe even the Admin Building mess hall, then do 8 hours at the college," Cedric recommended. "Or you could do 8 at the mess hall and night courses in college. You have options, if you're willing to try," he said.

"Nice! College!" she half-squealed. "I might actually be able to get ahead!"

"We'll put in a word for you ahead of your arrival in the induction center," Megan said as she reached for the skillet with a fork. A quick sample of the pepper steak and — "Oh yeah, with cooking skills like that, you can definitely make a career out of it on this world."

"Where do I go?" the cook asked.

"Up toward the front of the Train, the Armored Infantry will direct you to the Induction Center," Ikuno pointed out.

Thirty seconds later: "Virtue, can you fast-track her to one of the galleys?" Megan asked aloud, given that the security systems would be able to catch what she said.

"I will forward your recommendation when she is in front of the induction panel," Virtue answered by way of their team-only radio sets.

Car 0330 (Seats, 2 Level) (1435) (Evacuated 7 Weebs)  
Car 0331 (Seats, 2 Level) (1437) (Evacuated 14 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0332 (Seats, 2 Level) (1439) (Evacuated 4 Recruits, 14 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0333 (Seats, 1 Level) (1441) (Evacuated 10 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0334 (Seats, 1 Level) (1443) (Evacuated 14 Charlies as Recruits)  
Car 0335 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1445) (Evacuated 7 civilians, 1 recruit)  
Car 0336 (Bath Car, Stalls (20)) (1447)  
Car 0337 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1449)  
Car 0338 (Bath Car, Individual Rooms (20)) (1451) (Evacuated 13 Civilians, 2 Recruits) (+15min Delay to wait for several persons to finish their showers and verify clear)  
Car 0339 (House Car, Single Level) (1508) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0340 (Lounge) (1510) (Evacuated 10 civilians)  
Car 0341 (Seats, 2 Level) (1512) (Evacuated 1 Recruit))

Entry into the car had been switched up for the teams, giving the 2-4 positions in each team the 1-3 and making the normal pointmen the secondary entrants for each side.

Scarlet went in first and left, and with it she cleared her corner dutifully. Ikuno went in second and cleared right, but she immediately twigged to the presence of some heavy-gear tangos. "Sigma Rail Guard! Identify yourselves!" she shouted after the first of them began to stir.

"Go to hell!" an older guy amongst the three shouted, then raised a snub-nosed revolver and rattled off three shots towards the entry team. The one decided problem with his idea of suppressing fire from such a pithy revolver was that the expected accurate range for fast fire from a revolver with a barrel shorter than some people's nose was roughly the same as pissing distance for a game of Swords. None of the three shots came anywhere near close enough to threaten Team 1.

"Tangos!" Scarlet shouted as she came up on target with her UMP40. She started by tracking the guy but quickly realized he was moving laterally, and he didn't have a proper weapon for the fight, so she cycled left onto some lady wearing body armor. The muzzle of some kind of light machine gun came up in front of her, bipod set on the back of one of the seats, so Scarlet opened the dance with three pairs of rounds from her sub-gun. Given the proximity of cover and angle of the shoot, Scarlet only contacted with one round in the tango's left shoulder, an area not covered completely by the body armor, and the strike caused the wench to lose her grip on the light machine gun.

Quintin came through the door, followed quickly by Carl, and the latter took position next to Ikuno before he cut loose with four rounds from his own UMP40 targeted on the elder guy of the three-tango team. His burst caught the guy after he dropped behind the seats for cover, and the one round that contacted got the man in the leg just above the kneecap. He was hurting and technically unable to walk, but certainly not out of the fight.

It was at this point that tango number three made his presence known in a very unorthodox and brazen fashion. The guy, completely undressed from the waist up and with his pants down around his ankles, simply belched loud enough to be heard across the car, slung a half-drank 40-ounce of whiskey at the entry team (it landed only partway to Scarlet), and proceeded to try to raise a semi-auto shotgun to his shoulder. Ikuno, who had been covering the right half of the car while the others dealt with the left-side, drilled the drunkard punk once in the face with her M25 White Feather DMR. The bullet entered his right orbital cavity, blitzed through the skull, chopped sideways through the brain matter, and exited the left rear of his skull. The drunkard was clinically dead before his body hit the floor, and the shot that killed him was from a suppressed rifle, meaning that his comrades never heard the shot that did the job.

"RICKY!" The lady shouted after she saw what happened. "How the fuck did they get Ricky?"

"YOU BASTARDS!" The guy shouted before he rattled off the last three rounds in his revolver from cover, using blind fire. Three such shots accounted for two metro benches and a light fixture, nothing hazardous to the team.

"Bounding fire! Advance to contact!" Megan ordered by radio.

Scarlet and Quintin took turns firing bursts at the concealed locations of the two threats, and in so doing they chewed through about twenty rounds apiece as suppressing fire while Carl and Ikuno advanced in leapfrog down the right side of the car. Megan had taken station on the right side, MP43/1 aimed down the right-side seats to prevent any kind of ambush of unseen parties on that side.

Halfway down the seats to where the enemies were holed up, the lady tried her hand at suppressing fire with a better weapon than the snub-nosed revolver — a Glock 17. In five rounds she succeeded once where her comrades had failed, she scored a hit on Carl in his body armor. The round entered his magazine pouch for his XD .40 magazines and punched into the third magazine, but never made it through the magazine before it got to Carl's body armor. The hit still startled Carl into stopping and taking a knee to clear the easy fire lane.

"Bang out!" Ikuno shouted before she tossed a flashbang over to where the enemy was covered at. The blast was technically too close to them just the same as it was on top of the enemy, so they were stunned a bit as well as the enemy, but training in this case was the master of the engagement and the Rail Guards trained extensively with flashbangs. After the blast, Carl bounded up and forward into the engagement zone, gun up and right in case someone else was in the area of the metro benches, and he did find someone that was unarmed and tied up on the right. After that, he swept wide left until his sights caught the wench of the three enemies trying to bring her Glock to bear again, and this time Carl put ten rounds in the center of her body armor from a range of three meters, with the round stack over her chest and no hard trauma plate. The last four rounds punched through the worn-out and weakened body armor and into her chest cavity, putting her down for the count.

Ikuno came up next and swept from left to forward, which action netted her the elder of the two guys. He was wearing Ceramex Ablative Armor, which was resistant to light pistol rounds, explosives, fragmentation, and energy weapons, but nearly useless against anything larger than a 9mm. Ikuno's two rounds to his chest both punched clean through his armor, his heart, and the back panel of the armor, leaving no doubt that he was dead, dead.

"One hostage my location!" Carl reported.

"Team 2 is moving up! Secure the hostage!" Megan ordered.

After Camille passed by where Carl was standing guard over the hostage, Carl safed and swept aside his UMP40 so he had both hands free to remove the hostages' bindings. He used his survival knife to clear the girl's leg bindings (100-lb test nylon rope, triple-looped), then her hand bindings (doubled-up zip ties) and finally her gag (some kind of bandana). Clearing the three bindings took several minutes, given they were tougher than they appeared and Carl had not properly sharpened his survival knife after he received it.

"Are you hurt, kid?" Megan asked from over Carl's shoulder.

"I — what?" she half-shouted given the amount of gunfire in an enclosed space had wrecked her hearing.

"ARE YOU HURT, KID?" Megan shouted loudly enough to be clearly heard by a point of Armored Infantry outside the car.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU! WHAT WAS THAT?" The kid shouted back.

"Hearing loss, I have this," Carl said. " _ **Holy particles of the great cosmos and stars, descend upon this area to cure ills and damages by way of Curaga**_ ," he chanted a wildly overpowered curative spell that would also heal the bodies of the two tangos nearby, but who were already brain-dead and thus the heal would have no other effect on them.

"By the Stars! How did you — magic? Are you a wizard?" she asked.

"Clear!" Pete shouted from the far end of the car.

"Are you some kind of rival group to the Slavers? I will go quietly," she said after she propped herself up to sitting. Once vertical, it was obvious to Carl and Megan that she was no child or teen, despite being small, she was actually older than either Rail Guard Operator.

"Whoa, hold on, that's not what we are about," Megan said. "We're here to disband the Trains. You're not going to be hauled into slavery."

"What — why — you killed them, but you don't want me as a Slave?" she asked. "What are you?"

"We are the Rail Guards," Megan answered simply. "We are decommissioning the Trains and giving the people on them a new lease on life, if you want it."

"No slavery?" the lady asked, still apprehensive.

"Never again," Megan said, then offered the captive a hand up. "Not while we live."

Car 0342 (Seats, 1 Level) (1521)  
Car 0343 (Seats, 2 Level) (1523)  
Car 0344 (Seats, 2 Level) (1525)  
Car 0345 (Seats, 2 Level) (1527)  
Car 0346 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1529) (Evacuated 24 Civilians, 5 Charlie Mafiosi, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0347 (Bath Car, Stalls (20)) (1531) (Evacuated 3 Weebs)  
Car 0348 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1533) (Evacuated 1 civilian, 14 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0349 (Bath Car, Gender-Split Rooms) (1535)  
Car 0350 (House Car, Double Levels) (1537) (Evacuated 4 civilians)

-x-x-x-

Per the Induction Board, Alexandra was considered 'head of house' for her group of four. This meant, among other things, keeping the place tidy and maintained as needed, as well as seeing to the educational and training needs of the others under her.

The four had been assigned a BEQ house on the eastern side of the base, but of the four, only two could read passably to understand where they were. Morris, being the better educated of the two, took the lead in scouting for their house.

"Okay, going by the map here, we are two blocks west of where we need to be, and one block south. So another thousand meters walking distance, I'd say."

"Still so far," Christy complained. "I hope we're not going to have to walk everywhere?" she asked.

"We'll have a lot of walking to do," Morris promised them. "We'll go over routes and timings tomorrow, we're allowed a couple days to settle in before we begin."

"I've decided, as soon as I can I want to take up some kind of a job," Marco said. "Something to help keep us together, help pay the bills," he said.

"All four of us will probably end up in the military," Alexandra gauged. "Personally, I'm not sure where I want to go in their military, but that's probably where I am going."

The group was silent for another block, and they paused to watch a group of recruits march by on one of the roads between the houses, before anything else was said. "You're still thinking about what that Instructor said, aren't you?" Christy asked after Morris led them around a corner and toward the long axis of the base.

"Dude has a point," Alexandra said stiffly. "That, and I'm kinda still new at the whole 'living somewhere outside of the Trains' kinda thing, you know? This is going to take a hell of a lot of work."

"At least we don't have to hide from the Slavers," Morris said, then stopped when his tablet beeped at him. (The tablet computer was officially Alexandra's for household management, but Morris was the most literate and technologically savvy of the group, so…) "Whoa! Awesome!"

"What?" Christy asked. Alexandra and Marco simply crowded in on him.

Morris simply touched the voice read function on the news report. "Local news report / Rail Guard Team / Field report: three Slavers confirmed killed by Rail Guard Team 1. A gunfight lasting some 80 seconds between three Slavers and Rail Guard Team 1 ended with all three Slavers killed in action and no injuries to the Sigma personnel. One hostage was rescued from the car in the aftermath of the engagement. Video footage from the security systems in the car will be available at 2100-Lima for viewing by general-access terminals."

"Awesome, three more Slavers dead?" Alexandra asked. "It is so good we didn't get into a gunfight with those guys, if they could kill three Slavers without taking an injury of their own."

"They are certainly every bit as lethal and scary as they looked," Marco said.

"Come on," Morris waved them toward the north, still headed toward their ultimate objective of their assigned quarters.

"How much farther? My legs are killing me!" Christy whined.

"Not much, just past that intersection and on the right," Morris pointed out the general location.

"Good! I don't think I can handle much more than that," Christy complained.

On the far side of the intersection, Morris started reading off house numbers until he found the match to their assignment.

"This is it?" Alexandra asked after Morris double-checked the number.

"Yeah, this is it," Morris said.

"This is going to take some work," Christy said. "Not even the worst houses in my town were this bad."

Marco scoffed at the disbelief from his comrades. "I've seen worse, lived in worse. We'll make this easily."

-x-x-x-

Car 0351 (Dining Car) (1539) (Evacuated 11 Civilians, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0352 (Seats, 2 Level) (1541) (Evacuated 3 Recruits, 8 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0353 (Seats, 2 Level) (1543) (Evacuated 2 civilians)

"They are unaware, but one or two of them did hear your gunfight from earlier," Virtue pointed out her analysis of the situation in the next car. "Be cautious, start with flashbangs and enter properly. There are two civilians laying low on the floor of the upper deck, everything down low is Slaver."

"I'm surprised they haven't twigged to the security systems yet," Scarlet said with a fake-cheery smile.

"Keep grinnin' like that," Megan said. "Virtue, you confirm visual on slavers or slaver activity?" the element commander asked after a moment.

"The largest of the ladies on the team is wearing only a sport bra and jogging pants under her tactical vest, and I have clear visual to her arm tattoos. Also, I have clear visual to a Harris M-93 sniper rifle in her possession, so she may attempt to use it."

"Holy shit, that is some firepower," Ikuno said. "The command team used a Harris 93 on one of their shoot exercises, targets at or beyond 1000 meters."

"Acquire and eliminate her first, then work the way down the list of heavy weapons," Quintin confirmed the revised plan.

Megan crowded back out of the way of the main corridor. "Breach and clear."

Quintin pulled the pins on two flashbangs. "Virtue, hit the doors," he requested.

Once the doors unlatched, Quintin started with the first flashbang, which he underhand tossed into the room a fair distance. It wasn't enough to get it to the main group of tangos, but it did disrupt them to a degree and made the second strike possible. For the follow-up, Quintin tossed the second Flashbang in the proper fashion of a grenade, and this one landed squarely in the center of their group before it detonated.

"GO GO GO!" Quintin shouted before he ducked into the room and did his customary right jog and check of that corner.

Scarlet entered and went left, then immediately snapped right and onto target. Though stunned, more than one of them had weapons up and before she could begin her own fire a fairly large guy fired a blind panic shot from some kind of double-barreled shotgun in their direction. The double-barrel 10-gauge blast succeeded in shredding apart one of the metro benches, but did not cause any actual harm to the team.

Scarlet opened the party for her team. Given the environment, the severe hazard, and the distance to the enemy, this was an optimum use for her Milkor M-32 Rotary Grenade Launcher. She put the sight on the lady with the Harris sniper rifle and fired one round.

Contrary to the movies and television logic, the resultant blast was not massive, it was not a huge fireball, and it did not kill everyone in the vicinity in a single stroke. The lady with the sniper rifle was instantly slain, her left arm detached from her body and flung a good five meters by the blast against that shoulder. Two of the enemies were entirely untouched, as they were concealed below the level of the metro benches and thus none of the blast wave or fragmentation reached them. Three of the nine were close enough to the initial target to take lethal fragmentation, in one case the fragments had ripped part of a guy's skull clean off and threw it out an open window. The last three took varying fragmentation and concussion injuries between them, not enough to cripple them but notable.

Carl had entered the car just before Scarlet pulled the trigger, and was just taking position on the right side of the car after the echo of the 40mm grenade blast faded from their hearing. The blast front was actually not as sharp or penetrating as a flashbang, so he didn't really have much to shake off in the way of stun factor and was quickly on target against the remaining threats. A five-round burst into the upper chest of a lady wearing light body armor and carrying a FAL assault rifle knocked her to the ground.

Ikuno was last of the entry team to enter and went left to join Scarlet, who had just safed and slung her M32 for the UMP40 they all carried as a primary. Once in position, it was a simple task for her to track in on the one remaining tango with a decent weapon, an AKS-74U. From the 35 meters distance, and given he was still stunned senseless from the two blasts in close proximity, it was a simple task for the unofficial sharpshooter to drill him in the head and end the threat immediately.

Carl dealt with the last of the standing Slavers, five rounds resulted in three hits, one in the center chest that passed through her compromised body armor and into her sternum above the heart, one round caught her in the right upper arm, and the third round that contacted caught her in the left cheek and put her down permanently.

Team 2 led the procession forward while Team 1 covered down the rows of seats. All eyes were still forward and all grips were tight: both teams knew that they had downed only seven of the tangos, two were still outstanding.

The first of the two surviving tangos made his presence known with a very rare pistol, an Automag II. From five yards, he fired three shots into the lead trooper, one in the chest, two to the left arm. Harold tried to return fire with his Henry rifle, but without the use of his left arm the round missed his target by a full meter. As Harold ducked out of the way to clear the path forward, the shooter chased him to the left with three more solid hits, one to the body armor, one to the left hand, and one to the left shin. Scarlet put paid to him before he could fire his last round, two chest shots and a waist shot from her sub-gun ended that threat.

"Man down!" Megan reported by radio, not sure if Harold was alive or not after the close-range hammering he had received, but certainly out of the fight.

"YOU! DROP YOUR WEAPON!" Pete shouted at the one remaining tango from the far side of his iron sights on the UMP40.

"I surrender!" The lady held her hands up, with only a small pistol dangling from her right forefinger. Pete stepped past her, his sights never moving away from her chest.

"Cedric, disarm and clear her to the Armored Infantry," Megan ordered, her own sights centered on the twenty-something Slaver's head. "Carl, healing needed up front!"

"On the way boss lady!" Carl was quick to move up to where Harold had fallen aside during the hammering he took. "Harold, how bad?" he asked after he approached.

"Fuck balls and cock sandwich! Is that answer enough?" The wounded operator laid himself out on the one clean seat in the general vicinity. "You tapped out for magic power, or still usable?"

"No way I'm burnt out for the day," Carl said. " _ **Holy particles of the great cosmos and stars, descend upon this area to cure ills and damages by way of Curaga**_ ," the Blue Dragon-in-human-form chanted through his preferred healing spell. There were others, better ones, but Curaga got the job done in spades at his casting level.

"Hot damn, that still smarts!" Harold half-shouted as he stood up. "Not bleeding any more, no penetrations, not a bad result. I need to learn that skill, cowboy," he clapped Carl on the shoulder.

"Hang around me long enough when I'm using spellcraft, you'll start developing your own caster's aura," Carl returned the clap on the shoulder.

"I owe you a beer after this fun-fest, don't let me forget," Harold declared.

"Take twenty, guys, then we resume." Megan flopped down in the first clean seat after the dead Slavers. "We've earned it."

Car 0354 (Seats, 2 Level) (1605)  
Car 0355 (Seats, 2 Level) (1607)  
Car 0356 (Seats, 1 Level) (1609) (Evacuated 3 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0357 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1611) (Evacuated 1 civilian, 10 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0358 (Bath Car, Gender-Split Rooms) (1613) (Evacuated 1 recruit, 5 Weebs)  
Car 0359 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1615) (Evacuated 22 Civilians, 2 recruits)

A little review of the security camera footage on their tablets told enough of a tale before they even opened up the door. It was heavily occupied but not hostile, something that had existed to one degree or another in the 523 Train, but had thus far not been an issue here in the 133628 Train. Mainly because a goodly portion of the occupants of this Train were underage and still thought the opposite gender had 'cooties' or some shit.

Scarlet led the entry into car 359. UMP40 forward and ready for threats, then immediately had to go right to dodge around the bank of sleeper rooms. Inside the car, the first person her gunsights crossed was a lad on the toilet at the end of the sleeper car row (a small toilet and sink existed at each end of the sleeper room bank). "Holy shit!" he said with reverence after he caught sight of the new occupant.

"No worries, mister, not going to shoot a civilian on a toilet," Scarlet said. "Get wiped and get your gear together, we're clearing the Train."

"Yes ma'am!" he said, then closed the door to the crapper room. A second later, the entry team heard a rather loud, gaseous farting-dumping sound from the far side of that door.

"Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we do scare the shit out of people," Quintin said with a smile.

"Move it up, troops," Megan ordered.

"Moving!" Scarlet led the jumpoff again after Quintin signaled ready to move (by giving her shoulder a squeeze).

A lady was waiting for them roughly ten meters down the hall from the bend in the walkway at the pooper station. "Welcome to Red Light 369 — holy fucksticks!" the lady choked her sentence off after she properly saw what came around the corner. "Umm, I surrender? Please?" she asked with both hands raised after Scarlet put her sights on her chest.

"Who are you working for?" Quintin asked from the far side of Scarlet.

"Uh, uhm, nobody? We just clean up and organize around here, for small favors from the other residents?" the lady said.

"This is nothing really organized, except that we clean up and keep the sheets changed," a barely twenty-year-old guy said. "We're not pimping or anything like that," he said.

"So this is a volunteer gig, and you just volunteer to clean up?" Megan asked from behind the entry team. "I've heard stranger explanations, actually, so I'll buy this one."

"What do you want with us?" the guy asked.

"We are evacuating the Trains. Everyone needs to get dressed and get mobile, a demolition crew will come through and scrap this Train out here in a few days," Scarlet said after she relaxed from braced ready to fire. It was clear enough that there was no threat in the car, most of the 'subjects' therein lacked full clothing, much less had any manner of proper weapon.

"Everyone out? Where will we go?" the lady asked.

"Above us is a military base that is accepting refugees. You will all be provided housing and essentials, and eventually settled into proper residence. Employment will be made available in the coming weeks as we expand and prepare jobs. Any questions?" Scarlet prompted the whole room, not just the lady.

"Nope," one of the guys in the room ducked back into the room to start getting dressed.

"Okay, I'll help get everyone organized and out of here," the lady said. "Charles, you wrangle up the right half."

"Aye aye," the guy that was helping 'manage' the sleeper car answered.

The Sigma Rail Guard teams arrayed themselves along the outside wall of the corridor, watching as the occupants of the rooms dressed up and cleared out. It only took about five minutes for them to clear the rooms. "Don't worry about the sheets or pillows or such, the demolition crew will take care of all of that," Megan ordered of the lady.

"Understood, thank you," the lady said after she exited the number 8 room. "Wow! You're like, some kind of professional military force?"

"Sigma Rail Guards," Scarlet answered. "We go into the trains, clear personnel, disarm traps, eliminate slavers, and prepare it for demolition."

"How did you get mixed up in this business?" Cedric asked before he waved a finger at the rooms.

"Had to do something, and I find it very relaxing to clean up after others like this," she said.

"Train Brothel Janitorial Supervisor," Camille said, then chuckled. "You find your way to survive on these hellish Trains, regardless of what that way entails."

"Well, I don't think brothels are legal in Sigma, so you may want to consider an alternate career outside these walls," Megan jerked her thumb at the exterior wall of the train car.

"I'm already thinking about it," the lady acknowledged with a curt bow. "Thank you for the rescue!"

After she left, only the Rail Guard element remained in the car. "Welcome to the Trains," Carl said facetiously.

"Everyone wants some ass, just a question of finding it," Pete pointed out the obvious logic in such a setup.

"Gods' honest truth, comrade," Cedric said. "Shall we continue, boss lady?"

"Let's hit it," Megan pointed toward the next car.

Car 0360 (Bath Car, Gender-Split Rooms) (1619)  
Car 0361 (House Car, Single Level) (1621) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 1 Recruit)  
Car 0362 (Lounge Car) (1623) (Evacuated 16 Civilians, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0363 (Seats, 2 Level) (1625) (Evacuated 5 Recruits, 7 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0364 (Seats, 2 Level) (1627) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0365 (Seats, 1 Level) (1629)  
Car 0366 (Seats, 2 Level) (1631)  
Car 0367 (Seats, 2 Level) (1633) (Evacuated 9 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0368 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1635) (Evacuated 5 Civilians, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0369 (Bath Car, Individual Rooms (14)) (1637) (Evacuated 9 Civilians, 1 Recruit)  
Car 0370 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1639) (Evacuated 13 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits)  
Car 0371 (Bath Car, Gender-Split Rooms) (1641)

The process for clearing the paired bathrooms was simple for the team. The entry team would move up to the entry hall for the men's side, stand by for the second team to close up, then when both teams were ready the entry team would enter the men's room and clear it end to end, while the second team moved down to the women's room and cleared it. Megan, typically, took cover in the hallway to the men's room and maintained guard on the corridor until the teams were done.

Inside the ladies' room, a rather interesting find caused a delay of no small order…

"Okay, that is a cute piece of hardware," Camille said after she caught sight of the item de rigeur.

"Holy crap, another one of those?" Cedric asked after he caught sight of what had stopped Camille.

"Clear, all clear," Pete announced after he had opened the last shower curtain and found nothing within, then turned to check on the others. "Nice piece of hardware. Think we should call Clarence?"

"It would be entirely cruel not to," Harold pointed out. "I, for one, have no interest in carrying that monster."

"I'll make the call," Cedric said. "Sigma 3 from Rail Guard Element 1 Team 2, low priority," he said into the radio.

"Go for Sigma 3," Clarence replied after a few moments.

"Sir, I have another World War 2 relic you might be interested in. Rhinemetall MG '42, how copy?"

"Good copy, what is your location?" Clarence asked.

"Car 371, ladies' room," Cedric reported.

"Acknowledged. I am in conference with Boeing-Federated right now, please set that piece of hardware aside and I will be along shortly to investigate."

"Confirmed, will do sir. Team 2, out," Cedric let off his microphone and switched the channel toggle back to the Element 1 radio group only. "Not quite the vehement response we got last time, but he is in a conference…"

"Boeing-Federated? That's gotta be for more attack helicopters," Camille guessed.

"No wonder, with the prospect of building a fleet of death from above machines, a MG '42 is small potatoes," Megan announced from the doorway to the ladies' room. "Grab it and set it out in the hallway, we have more clearing to do."

"Yes ma'am," Pete said, then lifted the '42 and slung it over his shoulder.

Car 0372 (House Car, Double Level) (1645) (Evacuated 10 Civilians)  
Car 0373 (Storage Subsystem Car) (1647) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 15 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0374 (Seats, 2 Level) (1649)  
Car 0375 (Seats, 1 Level) (1651) (Evacuated 7 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0376 (Seats, 1 Level) (1653)  
Car 0377 (Seats, 2 Level) (1655) (Evacuated 9 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0378 (Seats, 2 Level) (1657) (Evacuated 7 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0379 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1659)  
Car 0380 (Bath Car, Gender-Split Rooms) (1701)  
Car 0381 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1703) (Evacuated 24 Civilians)

"Got an amulet here," Cedric said as he nudged it with his foot.

"Been awhile since we saw one of those," Megan said. "Type?"

"Strength, quad-charge. We could divide, or someone can use it singly. Any takers?" Cedric announced to the team.

"I'll hit that," Camille said. Cedric handed her the rune, to which she held it to her chest. " _ **The Runes of Asgard shall channel the power of this Amulet into its bearers,**_ " she ran through the common invocation to execute the rune.

After a few moments of glowing, the lines in the surface burned out, leaving only a wooden plate of no consequence. The magic was now working its way on her physical form, and by the following morning she would be even more different physically than she had been. Not all the changes were improvements, though, befitting the rather imprecise effects of such spells from Amulet to Amulet and person to person.

Car 0382 (Bath Car, Individual Rooms (14)) (1705)  
Car 0383 (House Car, Single Level) (1707) (Evacuated 4 civilians)  
Car 0384 (Dining Car) (1709) (Evacuated 10 civilians)  
Car 0385 (Seats, 2 Level) (1711) Evacuated 3 recruits, 15 Weebs)  
Car 0386 (Seats, 1 Level) (1713)  
Car 0387 (Seats, 2 Level) (1715)  
Car 0388 (Seats, 1 Level) (1717)  
Car 0389 (Seats, 2 Level) (1719)  
Car 0390 (Seats, 2 Level) (1721) (Evacuated 13 Civilians, 2 recruits, 2 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0391 (Bath Car, Individual Stalls (20)) (1723) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 0392 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1725) (Evacuated 13 Civilians, 13 Weebs)  
Car 0393 (Bath Car, Gender-Split Rooms) (1727) (Evacuated 9 civilians)  
Car 0394 (House Car, Single Level) (1729) (Evacuated 10 civilians)  
Car 0395 (Lounge) (1731) (Evacuated 18 Weebs) (+4 min negotiation)  
Car 0396 (Seats, 1 Level) (1737)  
Car 0397 (Seats, 1 Level) (1739) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0398 (Seats, 2 Level) (1741)  
Car 0399 (Seats, 1 Level) (1743)  
Car 0400 (Seats, 1 Level) (1745) (Evacuated 10 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0401 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1747)

"Hey, Chief, what say we call a siesta? My feet are killing me," Scarlet requested from the lead entry team.

"What car are we on?" Megan checked her tablet. "Oh, wow, we're on car 401. We've had a damn good hike today. It's only 1747, though, wouldn't do well to stop this early."

"Anything in the regs say we have to go until we drop?" Cedric asked.

Megan sighed. "All right, all right, you win. We'll secure this car and the next, get cleaned up, and crash here. MREs for dinner, cot beds for the crash tonight. Any questions?" Megan asked.

"Sounds like a winner to me," Pete answered.

Car 0402 (Bath Car, Individual Stalls (20)) (1749) (Evacuated 6 civilians)

After the persons cleared out of the bath car, Megan sighed. "Now that I think about it, I'm getting a bit tired."

"And we're trained for this," Pete pointed out.

"All right, Virtue, if we request a gear drop, can someone deliver?" Megan asked.

"Mosley Goodwin's group can deliver, they are winding down for the night and have spare personnel with vehicle access."

"All right, peeps, take ten while our gear comes in." Megan clicked on her radio. "Virtue, Element 1 requesting following gear: full uniform set for all persons, 1 replacement XD .40 magazine, 1 ammo can of .40 S&W ammo, 2 replacement tablets, 1 shipping unit standard MREs, 9 Tough Hook armor hangers. Delivery point is car 400, one of us will be waiting to receive."

"Order placed, delivery estimate 1-5 minutes."

Camille flopped down on one of the benches in front of the shower stalls. "Son of a bitch, that was a long hike."

"Well, rest up and relax, troops. We get to get up tomorrow morning and do it all over again," Megan said before she sat down. "And I get the feeling it will only get worse."

* * *

 **Author's Chapter Afterword** :

You'll note that, as the chapters go onward, the battles get nastier and nastier for the Train Team.

In all reality, and my Beta Readers can confirm this, the procession of events are random in these Trains. My personal control in the nature of the events is limited to the programmatic generation of the cars and their contents, and the actions of the team that goes through and clears the train. Amounts and dispensations of persons inside the train are generated by the program I use to create the Trains, and their actions or events are randomly decided at the time the team rolls through. It creates an ongoing randomized dynamic that is literally impossible for me to script before the exact moment that I start writing a section.

This is deliberate on my part. Personally, I am not a fan of predictability, which is why I have the dice decide things in all of my writing. If you don't have the dice doing some of the dirty work, then the exact nature of events to come can be determined by analysis of prior works from an author, with some expected deviation for plot twists and such. No such analysis can readily predict a story where the environs and distribution of persons are randomized, where interactions are determined by the dice, and where the only constant is that there shall be another Train to deal with after this one. Now, this Train is a bit different from the norm in that the only two organized groups within are the Charlies (Weebs) and Slavers. There will be some minor parties here and there, they are farther down the line, but they don't constitute a recurring issue for the Rail Guards.

The masses of persons coming out of the Train — in this chapter's case, slightly more than a full thousand — both changes the demographics of Sigma and creates a different prevailing attitude within the Protectorate. You'll start to see those changes in the coming chapter of Sigma 0001 (what would be Chapter 12), but more to the point, a major event coming up in the same chapter will harden resolve for everyone involved (including the evacuees of the Train). There is something to be said for talking the talk, but actual physical results are hard to argue with.

You will also notice that there were three incidents where Rail Guard troops were shot in this run. Such is the nature of combat on the Trains: it is all forced CQB, with a wide variety of arms and personnel competency with those weapons. You also see the value of having good body armor here, as well: the last violent encounter included what would have been two potentially fatal shots to Harold had he not been wearing sufficient armor to stop the weapon he was being shot with. He was combat disabled by the arm and leg hits, but Cedric put paid to those injuries with wizardry.

By and large, I weight the Slavers as only slightly better than the Mafiosi. This is due to a pair of conflicting principles in play. First, the Slavers need combat skills to ensure that they can force the capture of the Slaves. Second, they lose combat skill because they are more interested institutionally in being vicious and tough bitches, which reduces them from the ranks of proper combatants to the level of gang thugs. If the Slavers ever get wind of what is happening to their order, things could get messy fast for everyone involved.

On that, not much else to say. There will be some interesting characters going forward for the '50 blocks' that I do in each chapter, and things are going to get even harder on the Rail Guards.

* * *

 **Review Replies** : Five reviews for Chapter 2, MUCH THANK YOU!

Holy Dragoon: Their presence as a distinct group has not yet been identified, but they will be soon enough.

Forlorn 1818: That's the beauty of randomized character generation, my systems and custom-built software generates the base information, I chop out the detail work and run with it.

By Lantern Light: Dark Moon Star Empire citizens are a bit harder and a lot less emotional on certain things than the norm. That said, Matilda is not out of the woods yet, so there is a strong possibility of complications going forward.

Winblades: A perfectly fair criticism, and one to which there is an entirely logical reason for. The program I use for generation of characters only generates a first name and a randomized last initial, such as Clint J. for Clint Jamieson, when I prepared his initial entry. The last initial choice is literally a SELECT CASE (26*RND-1) function with each letter of the alphabet weighted to a result of 1 per letter. The operational concept was to generate personnel in bulk (which I do a shit-ton of) and as characters gain notoriety they get fleshed out further. This practice dates back to when Sigma was only a RPG game, not an ongoing and rapidly-growing fanfiction. I suppose if I wasn't a lazy programmer, I could build a surname lookup table and create a dynamic array to randomly select their family name, but that is going to be an absolute ton of work into a program I am trying to move away from to begin with.

Hellhound DOW: Your ideas on androids are presupposed on the existence of DBZ in the MMC / Sigma timelines, to which it does not. That series is not somewhere that I have any intention on going, that is a bit off the wall for the otherwise straight-laced MMC timeline, and given some of the shit I've thrown in, that says plenty.

That said, androids are not an impossible happenstance in Sigma, not by a long shot. I can think of more than a few scenarios to throw Androids in, and I even have some damn good ideas as to where to draw some 'droids from (gratuitous Star Wars ref to engender conspiracy theories :). Won't say what, when, or where at the moment, but there are possibilities.

 **THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REVIEWS**! Feedback is so much fun, and one of the best outcomes for my writing. Stay tuned for further!

* * *

 **The Gripe Sheet** :

One procedural complaint from Winblades, which I addressed in the above review reply. Other than that, much thanks to **Sieben Nightwing** , **Takeshi Yamato** , and **Necroblade** for putting up with my personal shit during my writing in the past couple months :)

* * *

 **Footnotes** :

No footnotes registered for this chapter.

* * *

 **Included Works** :

Included works are the effective same as the prior chapter.


	4. Train 133628 Initial Clear Day 3

(Sigma Mercenaries, Story 0003: The Beautiful Nightmare Trains)  
(Chapter 04: Train 133628, Initial Clear Day 3)

(28 March, Magi Year 14408 / Year SL 8838, 0600 Hours Lima)  
(Train 133628, Car 0402, Railhead Undercroft, Base Boarhound, Terra 232)  
(Day 11 of Campaign)

The exact point when Camille had roused herself awake was not entirely clear to her, but after she realized she was conscious, she tried to roll over for another hour of sleep or so.

No hope, she realized, after she inadvertently rolled herself out of bed and onto the floor. The strike on her shoulder was rather painful, but her sore spinal column reminded her of a very critical issue that was assuredly going to sideline her very shortly. "Sweet child of mine, you're already doing a number on my back. Think I need to talk to the MedTechs about that," she said mostly to herself, but also to her unborn child still inside her.

Laying out flat on the floor of the train car brought to evidence something else she wanted to ask the MedTechs. "Wonder if using all those amulets did any harm to my child?" she said before she cradled her slight baby bump. For certain, there were more than a few changes to her body overnight, slimmed down, toned up, strengthened up, but oddly more susceptible to pain? It was a bit of a strange combination, in her estimation, but not impossible given she was dealing with magic and not normal or technological processes.

Camille snorted after her quick by-touch body check, still laying out on the floor with only a pair of shorts on. "God, going through school I had to fight every part of my body to try to get attention. Now that I'm clearing a Jumper Train and already halfway through my pregnancy, I've got the form I wanted but could never achieve. Why?" she shook her hand at the ceiling light panel (presently turned off). After the quick run at melodrama (that didn't even sound impressive to her own thought processes), she wondered offhand if it was any measure of proper to date one of her teammates. _Probably not, there might be a rule against that_ , she thought.

After she stood up, it was only a matter of two paces to get to the full-body mirror in the room. "Oh jeez!" she stifled a giggle after she had a good look at herself in her altered form. "And this is permanent! Oh man, where I am now is almost perfectly where I want to be, but the little tyke's still to come out, so…" She estimated that she'd downsize a little in both fitness and sizing, but a little more amulet use could bring her back up to par. On that, she wanted to definitely talk to the MedTechs, maybe have them run an amniocentesis test on her? Couldn't hurt to ensure that her child-to-be was in good health.

"So, I don't think this is going to work well, but if it works…" Camille picked up her BDU pants, BDU shirt, and sport bra, given that at her size walking around without control was considered a distraction and 'out of uniform' per the regs. She considered it a rather stodgy and conformist regulation, but one thing her training under Clint had impressed on her, those regulations existed for a damn good reason. Being distracted by 'Gainaxing' (1) while using a full-auto weapon was generally bad for the aim, as Clint had allowed her to demonstrate as proof of why the control was a necessity. The results had been rather embarrassing for her, after all the trash-talking she had done on the subject simply resulted in a nineteen percent decrease in on-target lethality.

Fitting, spacing, squeezing, and refitting took her a minute, and the only workable arrangement she could come up with was a pretty noticeable case of 'bubble boobs', but given she had expanded pretty heftily overnight (at least a full cup size, maybe more), there was a decent excuse. She also intended to draw new clothes on her way back down from the MedTech's offices, so this was only a temporary problem…

Outside the sleeper room, she hooked her belt and cinched it down to the last notch, then strapped on her pistol belt and harness and cinched those down as well. As she looked out the windows on the sleeper car, she felt as if today was going to be a good day. She would not be disappointed, but not for the same reason she initially thought.

-x-

(0700 Hours Lima)  
(1F Cafeteria, Boarhound Admin Building)

"Boss isn't here?" Megan asked after she entered the mess hall.

"Neg, Sigma One is still up in the command apartments, some manner of special construction project," Star Colonel Storme said offhand.

"And I had some questions for him," she grumped. "Oh well."

"Maybe I can help?" Megan glanced over her shoulder, then quickly turned and came to attention.

"Sir!" Megan saluted Sigma Three. "Well, maybe you can, sir. First, is there any reg against using a large amount of amulets to improve our physical condition?"

"You mean those one-time-use wood-engraved amulets?" Clarence asked.

"Yes, sir, those," Megan asked.

"Don't believe so. Just be careful that you don't go overboard and screw with your mind or make yourself impossibly sized small or large," Clarence answered.

"Understood, sir," she nodded; that result would be a relief to more than one person in the unit.

"Next question?" Clarence asked after he arrived at the buffet counter.

"Erm, Cedric identified several classes of the amulets we didn't recognize," she admitted.

"Nice. I take it you're thinking about one of those, and it's a bit off the wall?" Sigma Three asked.

"I, no sir! I kinda like myself the way I am, though I could stand to tone up a bit. No, and when I say this I have no belief that anyone in the team is considering it, but one of the amulet types is a high-level spell that can change a person's sex."

Clarence frowned deeply, then sighed gustily. "I have got to get myself out of the technological mindset, this magic shit doesn't play by 2015 America's rulebook."

"I know, sir," Megan said consolingly as she heaped up some scrambled eggs onto her platter. The protein was good for recovery from a day's hard exertion throughout the Trains, and the protein helped with the changes caused by the Amulets. "Again, I'm not interested, and I don't think anyone in Team 1 is interested, but is that legal?"

"Legal? Yes. Wise? Arguable," Sigma Four said as she approached with her SSO in tow. "Definitely, I'd recommend that if someone is serious about such a drastic physical change, they need to take at least a week to get used to their new form, maybe two weeks."

"Okay, I can understand that, I think," Megan acknowledged the point, though she really didn't understand the overall implication of changing one's sex overnight, physical or psychological.

"Next question?" Clarence asked after he picked out a strawberry muffin from the muffin rack. Megan chose the blackberry muffin, and was surprised that the baking crew had put out a dozen different flavors of muffin — including mango muffins?

"Well, slavers, sir, are we required to capture them if they surrender? Under piracy laws, aren't they subject to offhand execution for piracy?"

"That's really going to be a question for Clint or Erich, that is doctrine and legal. Not sure I can give you a definitive answer."

"Probably say no to that one, but I side with my hubby, that's something you need to fly by Clint for final word," Victoria threw her opinion in on the question. "Here, grab a seat with us, Clint should show up eventually."

"What's the word, ma'am?" Megan asked after they were seated.

"Star League censured us and the Multimages directly, and the Executors indirectly, for conduct unbecoming of a Star Empire. Of course, Star Colonel Storme was quick to point out it is a nonbinding censure, so there is no legal force behind it, but Hess seems to think they are playing up toward something they can use as a thin _casus belli_."

"Sorry, ma'am, I don't recognize the term," Megan had to admit.

"Reason for war," Victoria Williams pointed out the meaning. "Stack enough small shitpiles, or if they interpret a move of ours as a gamebreaker, they'll send in some force to kick ass. Even against the orders of the Executors, they'll do it."

High Executor Nereus came up at that point. "The Star League doesn't realize that we Executors have reached the redline, and we're looking for an excuse to shitcan them and dissolve the useless Star League. The Will Transcendent has his best operators on rotating overwatch, just to make sure that when the Star League next fucks the road-ramp, we're ready to bust them hard for it. Pointing an invasion fleet at an uninvolved party may just be that game breaker."

"Not exactly the most efficient way to bring down the neighborhood bully, but I guess that would work, sir?" Megan asked.

"Not the safest, but certainly faster than some of the other ideas we have had," Nereus acknowledged the one glaring flaw in the plan. "If we cause the Star League to seize up, chances are some of the SL Independent Fleets will try to take revenge on the Protectorate. In that parlance, the Fleets have nuclear arms and independent release authority in the matter of existential threats to the Star League. The Mages and the Negaverse have separate plans to track and eliminate the Independent fleets, but we don't expect 100 percent."

"And it only takes one good strike to wreck faces," Clint Jamieson said before he took a seat next to Megan. "Virtue forwarded me your unanswered question. By law, we can technically execute on sight Slavers, but the Magi want them alive when feasible to build a playbook on the Slavers. As much as it hurts to have to say it, the Slavers are of more value to us alive than dead, but your first consideration is always saving the hostages."

"Yes sir!" Megan said happily. Those were orders she could get behind, herself, and orders she would have no trouble convincing her comrades on.

-x-

(0800 Hours Lima)  
(B1 METARgraphic Range, Boarhound Admin Building)

Megan was a bit surprised that her team was already forming up in the METARgraphic field, but she was a bit less surprised that several of them had finally given up the ghost and laid down their sub-guns. From a quick glance, Quintin, Ikuno, and Camille had traded in their Sub-guns for what they were carrying as 'drop guns', with Scarlet having added two pouches for grenades to her armor to feed the M-32 grenade launcher.

"Team 1, form UP!" Megan shouted after she entered the room, and with it the entire crew ceased their on-line target practice and gear modifications to meet just inside the door.

Rallying took only ten seconds. "Team 1, reporting ready!" Cedric said when at attention.

"Except for needing a few mags loaded," Pete admitted.

"Listen up, troops. Got some news and wisdom to pass down from the command level. First, anyone here not heard about the SLGC censure from overnight?"

"It's all over NewsNet," Pete pointed out. "That's some bullshit."

"Exactly. It is horseshit. Nonbinding censures have no legal authority, doubly so when we aren't part of the Star League. On the flip side of this record, they're not looking to do anything right now, they're building a case to come at us after we've 'done enough wrong' to justify it."

"Propagandizing themselves," Camille shortened the explanation. "Feed bullshit and mushrooms to the press, eventually they won't make noise when the Star League comes after us."

"Not cool, man, not cool," Ikuno grumped. "Well, I just got my freedom, I say fuck 'em. I'll kill 'em by the numbers until I run out of ammo or targets."

"We all will, I refuse to stand down," Megan said stolidly. "Anyone not willing to scrap the Star League if they come knocking, raise your hand."

"It's a suicide mission, but hell with it," Camille pointed out. "Unless we get a direct and very timely reinforcement from the Magi, we're dead. I'll definitely fight, maybe even stall them long enough to get the backup."

"Okay, no stand-downs, that is good. Second, there is no restriction on using Amulets on ourselves, but Sigma Three says to be smart about it. Don't overload yourselves and end up screwed out of your minds," she said.

"Oh, what fun we'll have!" Camille said.

"Third, use of gender-swap amulets is legal, though if you do that, you're on mandatory week minimum medical leave, probably more. Depends on how long it takes you to adjust. If anyone wants to do that, I'd like to know why."

"Nope nope nope nope nope," Pete said immediately. "I like myself the way I am, thank you," he completed the thought with an air of superiority.

"Destined to get no ass for the foreseeable future?" Scarlet said to the younger and much smaller pointman.

"Yeah, yeah," Pete shrugged off the criticism.

"Simmer down, troops. Fourth point, to answer Quintin's procedural question from showers last night, yes, we are legal to execute on sight Slavers caught in the act. No, it is not recommended we do so, the Magi want them alive for intelligence purposes," Megan told them.

"The Magi are drawing up a full intelligence picture on the Slavers," Sigma One said from behind Megan. His voice startled her at first, she did not hear him approach, but she quickly snapped to attention and saluted. "As you were, Team 1," Sigma One released them. "There is no direct monetary gain from capturing them, but the Magi are offering us first crack at contracts to take down the Slavers if we garner enough intelligence to warrant a strike. Pay will be generous, with full salvage and recruiting potential."

"That is fuckin' sweet, sir," Pete said with no regard to the rank of the man he was speaking to.

"Damn straight it is sweet, we could really bring in cash in so doing, which allows us to fulfill promises to those who wish to return home." Hess sighed. "As such, I will not require you to capture them, but consider that the more we capture, the more major takedowns we can prosecute against the Slavers. I advise you do captures, if it is safe to do so, but don't flap your asses out in the wind on the nebulous promise of glory at a later time. Save lives first, save slavers second. Questions?"

"No sir!"

"Carry on, commander," Hess indicated Megan, then turned to move behind the column toward the ScrapNet Interface.

"That's the daily brief, so I believe someone complained about empty mags?

"I did, boss," Pete said.

"Well, get to it," she waved the team toward the ScrapNet Interface and the tables in back. "Full ammo loads, grenades, bangs, and water bladders. We have another 200 cars ahead of us."

-x-x-x-

Car 0403 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (15)) (0857) (Evacuated 15 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits, 22 civilians)  
Car 0404 (Baths, Gender-split) (0859) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0405 (House Car, Single Level) (0901) (Evacuated 3 civilians)

As was policy for the team, even-number cars were the province of Team 1: Quintin, Scarlet, Ikuno, Carl. In this case, Virtue had given them a crystal-clear picture of the happenings in the car, given the security system within was intact and the lenses were not spray-painted over.

Scarlet entered first, into the main corridor of the house car. The 100' car length was divided into three rough 'room' sections, with the main living quarters at the rear end, the sleeping quarters in the center (bisecting the two sections), and the utility / storage section at the forward end. Virtue had identified two Slavers crashed in the living area, both asleep at the time, though Scarlet's entry was not stealthy enough to avoid waking them.

"Huh?" the lady that had been prior sleeping draped on the guy slaver grunted at the disturbance. "Oh crap."

"Do not move, do not shout," Scarlet ordered as she dodged around a chair to take up clear angle at the Slavers on the couch. "Comply and you will live."

"Okay, okay, we're good," the guy said heartily. "No problemo, honey."

"Team 2, forward and clear the bedrooms. Capture if possible, eliminate threats otherwise," Megan ordered. "Team 1, secure tangos and prepare for evac."

"What the fresh fuck?" the guy said after Carl stepped up and hauled the lady off the guy. Neither had anything on more substantial than underwear / panties, and though their clothes were nearby the team wasn't offering. "Hey! At least let us — "

"Silent, or I drill you right where you sit," Ikuno ordered, emphasizing the point by taking clear aim at his head with her suppressed marksman's rifle.

"Jesus, honey!" he quieted down a bit as his lady-toy for the night (another Slaver) was hauled to her feet and dropped on the couch in handcuffs.

"Stand, turn to face the bedrooms," Scarlet ordered. She quickly had him handcuffed and back on the seat. "Ikuno, Cedric, hold here on them, Quintin and I will join Team 2."

"Team 2, in position," Pete declared very quietly by radio after Scarlet stacked behind him. Pete was set to enter the room with only one tango, now with Scarlet on him he could easily secure the hostile with reduced hazard.

"Breach, bang, clear," Megan ordered, given that Virtue had tracked the Slavers all night and knew that the four remaining tangos were split three in one room and the single in the other room.

Pete prepared a Flashbang for use on the room, same as Camille prepared a bang for the first bedroom. Scarlet and Cedric booted their respective doors, then quickly spun aside to clear the fatal funnel while their comrades tossed in Flashbangs to disorient the enemy.

The two detonations were within a half-second of each other. Immediately afterward, the two teams made to enter and clear, four into the first room, two into the second. The Noise-Flash Devices (NFDs) did exactly as intended, all four enemies were caught completely unawares and stunned to ineffectiveness for some five or six seconds, more than enough time for the entry teams to fan out and put sights on.

"Lead, Cedric, three tangos at gunpoint," Cedric reported by radio.

"Lead, Pete, one tango at gunpoint, three civilians tied up in this room," the second entry team explained his situation.

"Good morning, assholes, this is your wake-up call," Camille said with a savage smile.

"We surrender!" the guy said quickly. The two ladies quickly followed suit and put their hands up as well.

"All right, big wench, out of bed slow, keep your hands up, immediately turn to face the wall," Camille ordered, since she had turned

"Why are you doing this to us? We are protected by a Guild of the Star League!" She half-wailed as she climbed out of bed and did as ordered.

Once the tango was up and facing away from the entry team: "Bring your hands down and cross your palms behind your back. Do it slow and steady." Again, she did not resist, which allowed Camille to easily cuff her. "A perfectly good ass, put to a perfectly bad use," she commented in taunt before she led the lady out into the hallway and lined her up against the wall. Megan took over security for this enemy.

"Male, out of the bed to your left, keep your hands up at all times, once standing immediately turn and face the wall. If you do anything stupid, you will be shot," Quintin said while he shifted down for Camille to take over his position in the guard line.

"I surrender! Jesus, what the hell are you?" he asked as he slid out of bed to be secured. Once cuffed in the same fashion, Quintin escorted out and took up station with Megan to cover the now three tangos in the hall (including the enemy from Pete's breach-and-clear).

Cedric took control of the last. "Smaller lady, exit the bed, left side, keep your hands raised." She did as ordered just the same. "Hands down behind your back, cross your palms." Once in position, it was a simple task to cuff her and bring her outside.

"All tangos secured and hostages freed," Pete reported after the last one was pulled.

"Ikuno, bring those two up, line 'em up."

Once the six were parked in a row against the wall, they started regaining some amount of defiance. "What the fuck is this about?" the largest lady asked.

"Your protection as Slavers is null and void," Megan said coldly. "Per mercenary contract issued by Master Executor Eric Atrebas, the Protectorate of Sigma is hereby ordered to capture or kill any Slavers we find in our sphere of influence. Today, that means you."

"Oh, good God!" the teenage guy in the group wailed. "We've been condemned by the Executors!"

"Exactly," Megan answered his cries. "Since you were actually smart enough to not invoke superior firepower, you live as captured persons for now. The Magi would like to have a word with you. Star Colonel Storme will arrange your new travel arrangements shortly. Now, keep clearly in mind that if you do anything stupid, you will be shot. Even in handcuffs. Any questions?"

"None," the elder of the three guys said.

"Damn good. Ikuno, paracord their handcuffs together and frog-march them out of here. Pete, resume normal operations."

Car 0406 (Dining Car) (0908) (Evacuated 3 Civilians, 5 Recruits)  
Car 0407 (Seats, 2 level) (0910) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)  
Car 0408 (Seats, 2 level) (0912)  
Car 0409 (Seats, 1 level) (0914)  
Car 0410 (Seats, 2 level) (0916) (Evacuated (2 Recruits, 10 Weebs) (+2min Negotiation)  
Car 0411 (Seats, 2 level) (0920)  
Car 0412 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (0922) (Evacuated 12 Charlie Mafia) (Harold found and used 1 single THR amulet)  
Car 0413 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (0924)  
Car 0414 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (0926) (Evacuated 5 Civilians, 1 Recruit)  
Car 0415 (Baths, Gender-split) (0928) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0416 (House, 1 level) (0930) (Evacuated 9 civilians, 2 recruits)  
Car 0417 (Lounge Car) (0932) (Evacuated 15 Civilians, 9 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0418 (Seats, 1 level) (0934)  
Car 0419 (Seats, 2 level) (0936)  
Car 0420 (Seats, 2 level) (0938) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0421 (Seats, 1 level) (0940)  
Car 0422 (Seats, 1 level) (0942)  
Car 0423 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (15)) (0944) (Evacuated 13 civilians)  
Car 0424 (Baths, Individual Stalls (20)) (0946) (Evacuated 11 Civilians, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0425 (Baths, Individual Stalls (20)) (0948) (Evacuated 5 Civilians, 14 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits)  
Car 0426 (Baths, Gender-Split) (0950) (Evacuated 1 Charlie Mafia, 13 Civilians, 4 Recruits)  
Car 0427 (House, 1 Level) (0952) (Evacuated 8 Civilians)  
Car 0428 (Storage Car) (0954)  
Car 0429 (Seats, 2 level) (0956)  
Car 0430 (Seats, 2 level) (0958)  
Car 0431 (Seats, 2 level) (1000)

"Be warned, this next car has a standoff going on between what appears to be three United States Rangers and seven Charlie Mafia. This could get messy," Virtue pointed out.

"Show me," Megan pulled her tablet and switched it on. The picture from the security systems in the room said enough. "Quintin, take it easy on entry, same with the rest. Don't want to provoke the Americans."

"Roger that," Quintin said, then uncoiled from his usual braced ready position and simply tripped the door.

One door, a pace forward, a second door, and he was inside the 431 car. With a sight on the scene, he had an immediate idea how to force the hand of the obstruction, the Charlies.

"Uh, Sarge, contact rear," one of the Rangers said before Quintin could start.

"Wonderful, pincer attack," the supposed Sergeant said.

"Oi! Charlies!" Quintin shouted past the Rangers. "What's the deal here? You heard the announcement, this Train is going to be scrapped down, you can't hold here!"

"Who said I believed that announcement?" Someone on the far side of the Rangers asked.

"You're not believing or disbelieving me, kid," Quintin said as Scarlet entered and leaned up against the back of one of the metro benches. "The contract we are scrapping the Trains out under is signed off by Master Executor Eric Atrebas. That's who you need to talk to, kid, not me. We're just clearing people for their own safety, you don't want to be in this car when the welding crews start their job."

"I want to read this contract," the only teenage girl in the Charlie cell said.

"Doable," Quintin said, then extracted his tablet from his tablet pouch on his vest. "Virtue, please cross-deck the scans of the signed contract document to my tablet." The upload and display only took two seconds. "Sergeant, if you will pass this along?"

"Sure," the Sergeant said. He received the tablet from Quintin and passed it along to the pointman for the Mafiosi, who had approached close enough to the Rangers that he could be punched by them. "Can I get a copy of that document as well?"

"Scarlet?" Quintin asked the lady next to him as a way to prompt her for her tablet.

"Here," she pulled her tablet, which was waiting with the documents, and handed it off to the Sergeant.

Two minutes passed in near silence as the two read through the document. "Why is the Master Executor doing this now of all times?" the Charlie Mafiosi asked.

"Atrebas has been trying to get the Star League to be rid of these Trains for some three thousand years. I daresay he has finally become irritated by their intransigence and simply hired out the task to us as a way to slowly remove this scourge from Existence," Ikuno said.

"Of course, if you are over 16, you are eligible to join the effort," Quintin said. "Pay's acceptable, food's decent, job's rather hazardous, but clearing these Trains in service to the Executors, that's something for your resume."

"I am close, fifteen," the girl said. Quintin noticed that the Sergeant handed off the tablet to one of the other Rangers.

"Call's yours, kids," Megan said as she stepped into the car ahead of Team 2. "You're not required to join the Protectorate or sign up for any duty, but you can't stay on this Train."

"I shall sign up," the girl said.

"Out the door, turn left, straight up the walkway. The Armored Infantry will guide you to the induction center."

"Thanks, mister," the teen returned the tablet by way of passing between the two groups of two Rangers, which was technically bad form from a tactical standpoint, but Megan figured it a policy move on everyone's part to simply let them depart without any harassment.

Once the kids were out of earshot, Quintin sighed. "Whew! Two for two today." He pulled a pack of cigarettes and extracted one, then used a jet lighter to fire it up. "The truth is a lot less bloodless a weapon than a rifle, some days," he prompted the Ranger Sergeant.

"Other days, it kills people in the thousands," the Sergeant countered. "Sergeant Foley, B Company 75th Ranger Battalion, United States Army. Your commander?"

"Megan Christenson, Team 1 Lead, Sigma Mercenaries Rail Guard Unit," Megan said as she stepped past Quintin. "American citizen, State of Texas, 1960s. You guys?"

"Georgia, 2010s," Sergeant Foley answered. "So, you're the ones clearing the Train?"

"Slowly, yeah," Megan admitted.

"What's the chance we can get a ride home? We have some Russkies to kick out of the States," one of the other soldiers said. Megan caught his namestripe as 'Dunn'.

"That's not going to be all that simple," Megan said. "If the Train has logs that we can reverse-plot its course, we can get you home fairly easily. If not, the next option is to hire a Temporal Psionic to determine your home dimension, That's not going to be cheap, and as it happens not any time soon. Or, alternately, was there a ComStar Hyperpulse Generator on your planet?"

"What is a hyperpulse generator?" Corporal Dunn asked in counter.

"Interplanetary and interdimensional communications," Scarlet answered. "If you have to ask, the default answer is 'no'. So the easy button is off the table."

"That's usually how it goes," Sergeant Foley said. "What do you need from us to make it happen?"

"I'm not the right person to ask, Sergeant. You'll probably want to run that past The Boss, he can give you a better idea what your options are, given you're from the same time period as he is."

"American as well?" Foley asked.

"Kentucky Minuteman, he took a team into the 523 Train over there and did the initial sweep on it after it landed on his property and the Slavers tried to shoot him up. That's how we landed here, and after some serious wrangling, we are now a Protectorate under a Star Empire trying to clean up these Trains and get people home — or a home here."

"That made my head spin," Corporal Dunn said.

"Sounds like a party," Sergeant Foley said. "Can I get some time with this guy?"

"Let's see." Megan keyed her radio. "Sigma One from Rail Guard Team One," she requested on the command frequency radio.

"Go for Sigma One," Hess answered immediately.

"Sir, I have three Rangers from 2010 America that wish to speak with you about a ticket home, are you available?"

"Will be shortly, have them meet me at the ScrapNet Bay in 40 minutes. I will have transport for them to make the meeting."

"Acknowledged, Rail Guard is out."

"Militia from Sigma One, transport needed for four United States Army Rangers to meeting at ScrapNet Bay in the undercroft, are you available?" Hess asked on the Command Frequency.

"Sigma One, Barrett Goodwin, we are enroute to car 431 for pickup," the militiaman responded.

"Team, time for a ride," Sergeant Foley said. "Rail Guard, thanks for the help with those kids. I don't think I could have dropped the hammer on them."

"Fighting them is not a pleasant experience," Ikuno said from behind Scarlet. "We all have had our turn with them, from the prior Train and now."

Quintin tipped some ashes into the walkway. "We want them to walk off the Train, we don't want to drag bodies off the Train. Still, they call the fight, we respond."

"Hooah," Corporal Dunn responded.

"Good luck, Rail Guard," Sergeant Foley said.

Car 0432 (Seats, 2 level) (1012)  
Car 0433 (Seats, 2 level) (1014) (Evacuated 7 Weebs)  
Car 0434 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (15)) (1016) (Evacuated 6 Civilians, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0435 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1018) (Evacuated 7 Civilians)  
Car 0436 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1020) (Evacuated 13 Civilians, 2 Recruits)  
Car 0437 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1022) (Evacuated 6 Civilians)  
Car 0438 (House, 1 Level) (1024) (Evacuated 6 Civilians)  
Car 0439 (Dining Car) (1026) (Evacuated 12 Civilians)  
Car 0440 (Seats, 2 level) (1028) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0441 (Seats, 2 level) (1030)  
Car 0442 (Seats, 2 level) (1032)  
Car 0443 (Seats, 2 level) (1034) (Evacuated 2 Civilians)  
Car 0444 (Seats, 1 level) (1036)  
Car 0445 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1038) (Evacuated 4 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0446 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1040)  
Car 0447 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1042) (Evacuated 13 Civilians, 1 Recruit, 14 Charlie Mafia)

On the second door of the sleeper cars, Carl pounded his fist on the frame of the door. "Rail Guard! We're clearing the Train!"

"It's open!" someone on the far side said. Carl unlatched the door and slid it open, and found himself unsurprised by what he found.

"Holy shit!" the guy in the room said after he had a look at the entrant.

"Ways to kill time on the Trains," Carl groused. The guy had mistakenly cleared him to enter thinking it was another resident of this sleeper car, and had not bothered to stop banging his girlfriend in the process. The Transcendent Blue Dragon guessed their ages in the mid to late twenties?

"What — are you military?" the lady asked, now hiding behind the blanket from their bed.

"Mercenaries," Carl said evenly. "We're clearing the Train. Need you to get dressed and depart."

"What?" the guy asked. "Why? I kinda like it here," he countered.

"Kid, here in a few days, we're going to have a crew come through here and disassemble the Train. When they're done, there will be no Train left for you to like being in. Now, if you want an apartment and a job, we can get you two a flat outside the base, you can bang it to your hearts' content at that point, you just can't stay here."

"Are we allowed to do three or five to a flat?" the guy asked.

Carl shrugged famously at the thought. "Don't see why not, might make use of the bathroom a bit interesting but it is not impossible or illegal."

"Okay," the guy said and stood up. He grabbed up his clothes and tossed his girlfriend's clothes to her. Carl considered that the mechanics of putting clothes on while trying to maintain cover under a blanket was not the simplest of tasks, but doable.

"You said you're a mercenary?" the guy asked as he was struggling through putting his pants on.

"Yeah, Sigma Mercenaries," Carl said.

"Never heard of them," the guy said.

"We're a new unit, commissioned from the Protectorate of Sigma. Not surprised you haven't heard of us." Carl said before the lady slid out from under the covers. "If you have any personal gear, grab it and take it with. Anything left on the Trains is sold for scrap. And if you're worried about the noisemaker over there," Carl pointed to a M249 with only part of a belt, "it's legal for civilians in the Protectorate, so you won't lose it."

"Thank you, sir!" the guy grabbed up his light machine gun and went out the door with his girlfriend.

Carl made a quick check around the room for anything of note and then ducked back out into the corridor, where Ikuno was waiting to resume the deliberate search.

Quintin and Scarlet had the next room, so Carl and Ikuno moved past to the next sleeper bunk. Before Carl could hammer on the door frame, it slid open of its own volition. "I heard, mister," a Charlie Mafiosi teenage girl said tartly. "We're getting our stuff together to leave here shortly."

"Thank you," Carl answered and moved on. At the number five door, he hammered on the frame. "Rail Guard! We're evacuating the Train!"

"Just five more minutes of sleep," someone inside said drowsily.

Carl opened the door and stepped in. "OI! WAKE IT AND SHAKE IT!" he shouted, which caused all five of the Charlie Mafiosi boys in the room to immediately bolt out of bed or off the floor and stare at him accusingly. "Good morning, kids! This is your wake-up call and evacuation order!"

"Who the — holy shit!" the oldest of the Weebs gaped. "You're military, right?"

"Mercenary, and I'm under contract to clear this Train. Get dressed, get your gear up, and get moving. When you're off the Train, the Armored Infantry will direct you to the induction center. They'll get you set up in permanent housing."

"Jesus almighty, he's serious," one of the younger ones declared.

"You don't want to be hangin' around when the cutting crews get to this car," Carl said.

The kids only took twenty seconds to get dressed and get moving. "Another day, another car," Ikuno said.

"So it goes," Carl said with a smile before he hammered on the next door frame.

Car 0448 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1046) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0449 (House Car, 1 Level) (1048) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 0450 (Lounge Car) (1050) (Unit lounged for 30 minutes)

-x-x-x-

Sergeant Foley considered that hospitality was good in the area, even if the scenario was bleak.

"Never thought I would be on a world more f'd than the one we just left," Corporal Dunn said.

"We had to pursue those Russians, we just didn't know this Train was not, well…" Sergeant Foley shrugged. "It was my decision to pursue, I take full responsibility," he said.

"We did as ordered," Private Ramirez commented. "No shame in doing our duty."

Sergeant Foley dug the last crumbles of noodles and taco meat out of the corners of his MRE entree pouch and spooned it into his mouth. "We really do need to work on getting home as soon as possible," he said.

"Yeah, we still have a vacation to Moscow to take," Corporal Dunn said gravely.

"Yeah," Private Ramirez agreed.

"They really are working on disassembling that Train," Sergeant Foley said to take his troops' minds off the whole 'burn Moscow to the ground' schtick that was rather pervasive in the Rangers at this time. It wasn't entirely unexpected to the Sergeant, but rather unprofessional. A false-flag attack on the Moscow Airport (Zakhaev International Airport) engendered a lot of rage when one of the deceased terrorists was found to be an American. After that, the Russian Military unloaded on the United States in the nation-state equivalent of a door-kick break-and-enter assault. Everything north of Atlanta, Georgia had been invested by the Soviet Ultranationalists by way of a naval and aerial blitzkrieg that went undetected due to a failure of the ACS Early Warning systems. This resulted in literal urban fighting on the east coast of America, which was not something Sergeant Foley expected to see in his lifetime.

Sergeant Foley and his squad had fought his way through Maryland and the District of Columbia, then down into Northern Virginia chasing the Russkies the whole way. In Arlington, he chased some of the Soviet troops onto what appeared to be a metro train, but when he next saw daylight through a window the Train was on some alien landscape and there was no way home. The Russians he never saw again, either they bailed out or were slain and dumped overboard, either fate of which was perfectly acceptable to the Sergeant. They were out of the fight in either case.

Of course, given the way the Goodwin twins explained the matter, Sergeant Foley had gone from one badly fucked scenario to a potentially worse scenario: an entire world without national or planetary governments, assigned to a fledgling Protectorate commanded by an American civilian Technical Analyst, backstopped by science fiction Star Empires and fantasy-fiction wizards, and possibly with a brewing conflict against the Star Empire equivalent of the United Nations. The only thing keeping Sergeant Foley from declaring the whole thing insane and impossible was the fact that he had seen proof of it directly, when Barrett Goodwin had drawn a case of MREs out of a ScrapNet Interface, which was a matter transporter (not a replicator) that also handled firearms, booze, household supplies, industrial equipment, and general salvage. That, and the whole 'spent three nights on the Jumper Train' schtick, made the coming problem all too real.

"What did the contract say? Something like ten mill per Train plus a mill per hundred cars?" Corporal Dunn asked.

"Something like that," Sergeant Foley didn't remember the exact numbers, but they sounded close.

"Sounds like some sweet cheddar," Private Ramirez pointed out. "And if it helps us pay our way home, I'm game," he declared.

"Sarge," Corporal Dunn pointed toward the front of the bay, where another HMMVW had pulled in.

"Time for a chat," Sergeant Foley said as he dismounted the HMMVW. Corporal Dunn and Private Ramirez were shortly behind him to dismount, as the occupants of the new arrival cleared out of their vehicle except for the top gunner, a redhead that even had caught Sergeant Foley's attention.

"Up top, that look like anime hair to you?" Corporal Dunn asked nobody in particular.

"Hooah," Private Ramirez replied.

"Don't push your luck, guys. That fifty is loaded," Sergeant Foley pointed out.

"That's a big dude," Corporal Dunn pointed out as the passenger rear exited the vehicle.

"Sergeant Foley?" the big guy asked.

"That's me, sir," Foley stepped forward. "Sergeant Foley, B Company 75th Ranger Battalion. You?"

"Erich Hess, formerly Claiborne County Kentucky Militia, deputized by the Sheriff to attempt to bring order to chaos on the 523 Train. Now, Command Administrator to the Protectorate of Sigma. Welcome to the sci-fi version of the untamed west, gentlemen."

"Damn good to hear a Kentucky voice, reminds me of my time in Fort Knox," Corporal Dunn said.

"Been there, once, impressive place," Hess said. "This is Victoria Williams, Commander Administrative and HR for the Protectorate."

"Sergeant," she nodded.

"If I may ask, were you guys Afghanistan or Iraq?" Hess asked.

"Afghanistan, then not long after we transferred back stateside, we were in it with the Russians," Sergeant Foley said. "That was not something I ever expected to see, Russian troops on American soil."

"Damn, that's a nightmare scenario," Sigma One said. "It's what we Militiamen trained for, but prayed never happened."

"It happened, right on fucking top of us, and they came at it to kill every American they could find," Corporal Dunn said.

"Sad times," Hess said. "So, I take it you were not finished booting Ivan out of Uncle Sam's backyard?"

"Yes sir," Sergeant Foley said. "We do need a way home, if possible," he said.

"Has someone gone over the possible paths yet with you, Sergeant?"

"Yes, sir. If the Train has usable jump logs, that's the short way. Otherwise, pay for a Temporal Psionic."

"That's the long and short of it. Now, that said, this is the closest thing you'll ever see to the untamed west in a high-tech setting. Sigma is working on ways to make money, but my most optimistic projections don't give me an option to start hiring in Temporal Psionics for probably six months, longer if things don't go according to plan. And even at that I can't guarantee you a place at the head of that waiting line."

"Understood, sir. Do we have the option to hire a ride home on our own?" Sergeant Foley asked.

"Definitely so. If you can come up with a million C-bills, I will gladly front it for a Temporal Psionic's services. Before you ask, yes, it is for a week's service, but the Guild does not offer a lesser buy-in sum, so that million is a floor figure. Chances are they won't follow you into a war zone, so it would be a rather expensive one-way ticket, but one I would be willing to compensate you for. If you put the effort into hiring out the personnel, unused time on the guildmember I will pay back in gold and silver coin, or gear and supplies if you want it."

"If I may ask, sir, how much is a Million C-bills worth?" Corporal Dunn asked. "Relative to, say, 2010 American currency?"

Hess scrunched his face up for a moment. "Five and a half million dollars, if I'm doing the exchange rates right. Virtue?"

Several of the radios in the area beeped for active signal. "Five million, five hundred fifty-seven thousand dollars American as of July 2010 valuation of the Dollar."

"Okay, that's pretty steep," Corporal Dunn asked.

"It sounds steep, until you consider one thing," Sigma One said. "The Sigma Mercenaries unit is not predicated on making massive sums of money for the unit, it is predicated on allowing the personnel to earn their way to the fortune they seek. See, among the Star Empires, mercenary units pay their personnel as employees, usually sums in the neighborhood of five to ten thousand C-bills a year, with bonuses for going above and beyond. Sigma pays by the contract, 25 percent of gross contract income automatically goes to the involved personnel, no questions asked, no income taxes. As such, you could easily make in a few days of work what you would expect to make in a year, a decade, your entire working lives, though I will admit this is rather hazardous work."

"How much for clearing those Trains, sir?" Private Ramirez asked.

"Base is ten million C-bills per Train, with another million per 500 cars if I remember correctly. So, the 133628 Train you came off would be 12 million and 6 hundred kilo, divide that by three and the entry team makes three million one hundred fifty thousand at the time the Train is finished scrapping out, plus salvage rights on material they claim as they clear the Train. Assuming you three cleared a Train of the same length, it would be," again Hess paused and scrunched up his face briefly, likely doing the math in his head. "One million, fifty thousand for each. By that metric, any one of you three could hire the necessary Temporal Psionic, or go in by thirds and walk away with slightly more than six hundred thousand C-bills each."

"There's gotta be a catch," Corporal Dunn said. "There's always a catch."

Hess nodded. "Sadly, yes. Our ability to handle the Trains is solely dependent on how quickly we can absorb the refugees. I intend to handle two or three Trains every other week for the time being. Once these two are done, it will be some weeks before we do another."

"So, if we want some fast cash, we need to look elsewhere for now," Sergeant Foley said. "Other options?"

"The only other active force at this time is, well, if you'll excuse the cheesy name, the Rescue Rangers unit. They specialize in doing a large amount of small rescue, relocation, and extraction contracts. Pay isn't particularly high, most contracts rate in under ten thousand, but it's possible to do a dozen or more contracts in a day."

"That sounds different. What's the story?" Sergeant Foley asked.

"Well, the first three Contracts we did were rescue sex slaves from a pimp, rescue a political prisoner from behind the Iron Curtain, and extract a pair of Elves from a hostile encounter for employment," Hess said. "Those were spread out contracts before the Rescue Rangers were officially commissioned, but the principle holds. That is the effective mission profile."

"That's something I can get behind," Corporal Dunn said.

"That and clearing the Trains," Private Ramirez said. "I saw some shit on there…" he let his sentence trail off.

"And now you know why the Executors are paying hard cash to strip and decommission the Trains," Hess said. "But, problems like that are all over Existence. The work of the Rescue Rangers will never end, and the general mercenary work definitely has a few good jobs. I reiterate: you are not under obligation to do any operational work for Sigma. More than likely, your actions will not be taken favorably by your CO. If you want in despite the possible conflict of interest, I can find placement."

"Give us a few hours to think about it?" Sergeant Foley hedged.

"No problem, Sergeant. I'd recommend you sign in as refugees in the Induction Center, grab some barracks space and take a load off. No rush, take as much time as you need to decide how you want to proceed."

-x-x-x-

Car 0451 (Seats, 2 level) (1122)  
Car 0452 (Seats, 1 level) (1124)  
Car 0453 (Seats, 1 level) (1126)  
Car 0454 (Seats, 2 level) (1128)

"…And that's where we're going to end up in trouble," Pete said emphatically before he opened the door to the next car. "We're going to have to get a handle on housing, and quickly, or we're going to be arse deep in — " Pete's entry and chat was cut short by the firing of a shotgun in his general direction. The shot was wild, nowhere near actually on target to anyone in the unit (the buckshot tore up one of the light fixtures halfway into the car), but it served to focus attention on the tangos in the car.

The second shot was not so haphazard. A Weeb in light body armor and packing a medium-barrel .44 Magnum revolver fired one braced shot at Pete, and with one shot struck him in the left forearm an inch above his wrist. The 240-grain semi-jacketed hollow point (SJHP) did not have enough time to expand as it punched through both bones in his forearm and continued on into the back of the car wall."FUCK!" Pete shouted as he dropped below the level of the metro seats, out of the line of fire temporarily. "I'm hit!"

"How bad?" Megan asked.

"Left arm is out of the fight," Pete admitted after he saw the mess the round had made of his arm.

Cedric entered next and ducked right, though not without sending his own round downrange before he dropped below seat level as well. One shot from his M-14 caught the shooter with the magnum revolver in the waist, and herein the shortcomings of IIA body armor were played out fully. The 150-grain full metal jacket round fired by the M-14 easily punched through the waist area of the armor, punched through the Weeb with the Dirty Harry Complex, and proceeded to bury itself sideways into the back panel of the armor. It would take some minutes for the boy to bleed out, but he would not survive his unprovoked aggression.

Harold entered third, and immediately broke right to cover Pete in his downed status. After he was in position, he singled out an early teen with a Mossberg shotgun and drilled him in the upper chest a moment before a late-teen lady fired her own shotgun in his direction. Harold never understood how he did it, but he pivoted onto target and hammered her in the left hand with his lever-action rifle, the massive .45 Long Colt cartridge shredded her pump grip and rendered three of her left fingers a complete loss. It would not be until after the fight that he realized that he had been hit in the exchange with four pellets in the left arm.

Camille became the next of the operators shot at, but the round in question, fired from a veteran Charlie Mafiosi, only grazed her BDU pants leg as she entered the room. Most of the kids were smart enough to get under cover as she brought the L30 Infantry Support Laser up onto target, they knew the weapon because some of the Slavers used it, and were studiously out of sight before she could dwell in on anyone. Her luck ran out fast enough, as the best shooter on the far side drilled her twice with a Colt Police 4" revolver (.38 Special), both times in the waist, and both times rather painful to her.

"Re-engaging!" Pete growled into his radio microphone before he hoisted his M-24 and braced it on the top edge of the seat he had dropped behind. In a surprising feat for the otherwise middle-of-the-road pointman, Pete drew a fast bead on the first enemy he could sight up and dropped her with a precision headshot. The round entered her left sinus cavity at an angle and came out the back of her neck, almost to her shoulder blades. Even wounded, he was able to draw the bolt back and ram it forward with a new round, this time he found the head of a not-quite-ten-year-old waving around a .38 special in his direction, and that punk went down hard before he could fire on the team.

"Good shootin' Pete!" Megan shouted as she entered the car with her MP43/1 leading the way, and fired two pairs of rounds downrange. The first pair found the chest of a mid-teen lady with a sawed-off shotgun and dropped her lethally, the second pair buried itself in a metro bench some three feet away from the guy that had clipped Camille. After she took a knee on the left of the aisleway, she fired two more pairs downrange, and this time connected with the face of the punk that had shot Camille. Intellectually she knew better, but Megan still found herself surprised that there were no theatrics from his face shot, just boom, down, dead. No flopping, no trigger-from-the-grave, no flying across the room.

"Think we got 'em all?" Pete asked, and was answered by a Colt Anaconda from one of the Charlies. "Guess not." Before he could sight the shooter up, she had ducked back down below the benches.

"Frag or bang 'em?" Camille asked.

"Frag 'em," Megan ordered, not exactly in the mood to suffer trying to force close quarters on them with half the team wounded.

Pete pulled a frag grenade from his pouches, hooked the pin on the lip of the bolt knob of his M-24, and pulled down and forward to yank the pin loose. Once it was loosed, his grenade joined one from Camille downrange in the vicinity of the enemy. "FRAG OUT!" Megan shouted before she ducked down below the level of the seats. Both throws were in the intended area, and the two detonations were within a second of each other. No survivors remained after the dual detonations.

"Oh man, they actually gave us some fits!" Pete shouted over the ringing in his ears, which was above and beyond his hearing protection's ability to reduce it.

"Carl, up forward, need some medic work," Megan ordered.

"Ma'am, requesting permission to deal with the bodies by way of Rune Magic," Cedric asked.

"What? How?" Megan asked.

"I did some research into the Funeral Pyre Rune, and found a variant that may help us out. I also checked with High Executor Nereus as to the legality, as these enemies are not signatories of the Star League Charter they are fair game. If you say 'go', I can dispose of the bodies and covert their lingering forms into items we can use or salvage in. What say you?"

"Legal?" Megan asked for clarification.

"Entirely so, according to Executor ruling, Nereus double-checked."

Megan considered the request for a moment, but only a moment. From a logistic standpoint, leaving the bodies in place served no purpose, and it stunk the place up pretty bad. From a moral standpoint, Megan considered that they had forfeited any expectation of funeral rites when they fired on the Rail Guard team. And, as far as she could see, there was no other objection that came to mind, so…

"Do it," she ordered.

Cedric set up in an alcove formed by several of the metro benches and drew in the Modified Funeral Pyre Rune that would convert the dead's lingering being into material (he also knew versions that would convert them into energy, ergo Distortion energy that could be absorbed by nearby living beings and a version that would allow communication with the dead). Carl, Scarlet, and Quintin relocated the ten deceased into an organized pile in the rune, which left only the activation.

" _ **The eternal flames of the Sun of Elysium, reach into the mortal realms and consume these fallen by the Rune of Funeral Pyre**_ ," Cedric activated the Rune and stepped back from it.

For a few long seconds, nothing appeared to happen, then all at once the rune lit off with a bright yellow light across its markings. The light consumed the bodies in orange magical flames, bright to the eyes but without heat component outside the rune's circle, and in ten seconds the dead were reduced to dust, and that dust was consumed by the flames once again to give birth to a massive burst of light that enveloped the interior of the car briefly.

"Holy shit, Boss lady," Pete said, as he was one of the few to cover his eyes at the first hint of bright light.

"Is this for real?" Cedric asked. "I…" he cut his sentence short. "I produced all that from the dusts of the slain? Serious?"

"Good Gods!" Curt exclaimed. "How powerful are you? Seriously?" the Transcendent Dragon asked the Relic / Runic Mage Specialist.

"I don't know, seriously," Cedric knelt down next to a literal pile of power packs for energy-using devices (namely energy weapons). "I truly do not know how powerful I am, but if this is any indication, there is over a hundred energy packs here."

"Generated some piles of children's underwear, a fitting end to some of these brats," Ikuno raised one of the pairs of underwear on the front sight post of her rifle.

"This is the payoff, though," Camille lifted a fairly hefty necklace to eye level. "And we have a shit-ton of jeweled belts. Each of these would sell for a weeks' wages to a common man, and you just generated a hundred forty or so in two minutes of effort."

"I don't know who you blew to get that kind of power, but it was eminently worth it," Pete said.

"A monster pile of band-aids," Megan nudged some of them with her foot. "And amulets."

"Amulets," Cedric again took to a knee to inspect the spoils. "Strength amulets, quad use. Size reduction amulets, pentagon use. Instability Reduction amulets, triple use."

Megan cleared her throat. "If you want anything, take it and stow it. Otherwise, we leave it for salvage."

"I'll do two of the strength amulets," Quintin said.

"Same," Harold echoed the Team pointman.

"The hell, might as well join the party," Pete said before he retrieved two for himself.

"I shall use one," Ikuno said.

"I am with her," Scarlet pointed to the Team 1 sharpshooter.

"And I will try one," Megan concluded the distro.

None would partake of the jewelry or the other amulets, for they expected they would have better opportunity from battles to come. They would not be disappointed by the decision to wait.

Car 0455 (Seats, 1 Level) (1135)  
Car 0456 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1137) (Evacuated 13 Civilians, 2 Recruits, 6 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits)  
Car 0457 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1139)  
Car 0458 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1141) (Evacuated 10 Civilians)  
Car 0459 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1143)  
Car 0460 (House Car, 1 Level) (1145) (Evacuated 9 Civilians)  
Car 0461 (Dining Car) (1147) (Evacuated 11 Civilians)  
Car 0462 (Seats, 2 Level) (1149) (Evacuated 10 Weebs)

"I've got this," Pete said, given that he actually matched the age of the Charlie Mafiosi in question (mostly — he was 15, which was the upper end of their order).

Ikuno quietly took a seat just inside and to the left of the car, her rifle down below the edge of the seats and thus not visible to the Charlies. Harold took the opposite side seat, Cedric simply leaned up against the seat where Ikuno had sat down.

Pete had no problem approaching the group, who knew he was coming but didn't quite realize he had company. "Heyo!" one of the elder teens greeted Pete as he approached.

"Hey, how goes?" Pete asked as he stepped up to the circle they had formed just in front of the doors.

"Meh, usual ration, usual fashion, you know how it is," a younger teen answered. Pete guessed him in the neighborhood of 14 or so, but the way he carried himself bespoke a lot of time on the Trains.

"Hell yeah," Pete answered. "Find food, dodge Slavers, try not to go insane, go to sleep, repeat next day."

"You are Charlie Mafia?" the teen asked, perked up a bit by Pete's answer.

"Was," Pete said. "See the partially-stripped Train over there?" he waved his finger at it.

"Yeah," one of the sub-teen girls said. "Are they gonna do that to our home?"

"Yeah, eventually," Pete answered, which caused a chorus of boos from the kids and some of the teens.

"Why, mister?" a different sub-teen girl asked.

"There's nothing left on these Trains, and some very bad people use them as transport so they need to be stopped," Pete answered, deliberately simplifying the explanation.

"The Slavers," the 'leader' teen pointed out.

"Yeah, the Slavers," Pete confirmed.

"How many have you killed?" an older teen (probably 18 or so) asked Pete.

"I don't count," Pete answered simply. "I don't carve notches in my rifle stock. That's not what this is 'bout. My job is to save lives, give people a new future, if that means whacking a few Slavers, okay, if they're smart enough to surrender, also okay. The Magi deal with interdimensional human traffickers pretty brutally, so they'll get whacked either way."

"Oh," the kid answered, which was a good showing of having at least some morality.

(Pete had learned from the other Train that the longer people had been on the Trains, they became saints in their personal conduct or they developed a distinct lack of empathy. The one great check on developing a Train full of sociopaths was, oddly enough, the Darwinian Process of Natural Selection, whereby the harsh environment did not lend itself to long-term survival for persons who had a stone-cold heart. The rest of the Train would not put up with such conduct, not for long at least.)

"The thing is, bad men use these Trains for very bad purposes. So some very good, very high ranking men are paying specialists to capture the Trains, clear them out, and disassemble them. It's the best way to take the Trains down and save the occupants," Pete said.

"Where do I sign up for it?" the 'lead' Charlie asked.

"How old are you?" Pete asked.

"Should be fourteen or near enough," he answered.

"By law, you're not old enough to join up, but if you're over 12 you can get a job and train up to join up," Pete gave them the bad news. "Sixteen is the minimum entry age. And no falsifying your ages, that'll get you booted out and probably some jail time."

"Okay, okay," the 'lead' grumbled. "What kind of jobs are available right now?"

"We're starting up a couple factories in the area in the next couple weeks," Pete guessed based on rumors he had been hearing around the barracks. "Trade school is open and accepting applications, so you can pick up a profession and run with it. And we have military academies for anyone over 12, as something of a warm-up for the Mercenary unit. Standardized schooling for anyone below 12."

"Oh boo!" a ten-year-old girl shouted. "I got on this train to get away from school bullshit!" she half-shouted. "Why would I want to go back?"

"Hey, hold on kiddo, I'm not forcing you. But, I can tell you right now, you can learn the basics now, or you can learn the basics later, because most people are not going to hire someone who can't handle simple math, reading, and writing. Hell, even the factories I've seen, they all require basic writing and math, it's not just about assembling shit."

"That is fucking bullshit! I hate school!" she grumped at a lower volume level. "It's boring, the other kids were assholes, the teachers were assholes, the principal was a dickhead, urgghh!"

 _Little miss attitude here, wonder if her problems in school were her, or were everyone else?_ Pete asked himself in the confines of his own mind. It was theoretically possible that she had the right of it, that she had been stuffed in an institution that was staffed top to bottom by assholes and degenerates, but the solid money was usually bet on the problem being a single point of failure (the complainant) when the complainant accused everyone short of the Janitor of being in the wrong.

"Like I said, I'm not forcing anyone to do anything here, except for depart the Train. What you do after you're free, that's your call."

"Okay, I'm sold," the lead said. "Grab your guns and good, Weebs. We're out of here," he said before he stood up himself.

Car 0463 (Seats, 1 Level) (1156) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0464 (Seats, 2 level) (1158) (Evacuated 1 Civilian, 1 Recruit)  
Car 0465 (Seats, 2 level) (1200)  
Car 0466 (Seats, 2 level) (1202) (Evacuated 1 Recruit, 8 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0467 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1204) (Evacuated 13 Civilians, 2 Recruits, 6 Charlie Mafiosi)) (+4min negotiation)  
Car 0468 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1210) (Evacuated 15 Civilians, 1 Recruit)  
Car 0469 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (14)) (1212) (Evacuated 1 Recruit, 4 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0470 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (14)) (1214)  
Car 0471 (House Car, 1 Level) (1216) (Evacuated 1 Civilian)  
Car 0472 (Lounge) (1218) (Evacuated 18 Charlie Mafiosi)

Forewarned as to the contents of the car, Pete simply stepped through the door with his weapon down, given that there was no expectation of a threat from this group. After all, they had not disabled the intercoms in the room, they were using it for music purposes.

"Well, well, the Rail Guards," a not-quite-teen behind the bar said as activity in the room ground to a halt.

"Afternoon," Pete said with a little hint of disinterest.

"Come to remove us from the Train?" she asked, one hand on the counter and the other concealed below the edge of the counter.

"If you're worried about something wrong here, you can bury those fears," Camille said as she entered the car behind Cedric. "We kill slavers, we certainly aren't going to give them extra business."

"Prove it," she said dangerously.

Camille waved a finger at the monitor in the room. "That monitor still work?"

"Yeah, not much to watch on it, though," she replied, not entirely sure where this was going.

Cedric clicked his radio switch. "Virtue, Rail Guard 1, on monitor in Car 472, please play back video footage of our last shooting match against Slavers."

After a few moments, the monitor snapped on and went through a quick self-color-test pattern. The picture came on after a moment, starting with the introduction slide (a simple text slide: Rail Guard Team 1 / Train 133628 / Car 0353 / Engagement 9 Slavers against Rail Guard force), then came the actual video.

"EWWW! GROSS!" one of the kids shouted as the action properly unfolded with Scarlet's grenade launcher strike against the large lady that had the Harris 50-cal sniper rifle. The security cameras easily caught the flying severed arm and the fragmentation kills from Scarlet's one grenade. The rest of the rifle work was by the book, except to the point that Harold became the unwitting victim of an old and rather rare pistol (Automag II) and the reasonably competent shooter behind the trigger.

The entire battle and capture of the last Slaver lasted no more than 3 minutes.

"Any questions?" Pete asked as a challenge to the Charlies in the room.

"Dude! That was freaking awesome! Did you see that arm?" a less-reserved teen said. "Where do you learn how to do that?"

"Scarlet is our Grenadier," Cedric said as said soldier stepped forward, holding the weapon of note as her ready armament. "You want to learn how to do that? Sign up to train in as Infantry Academy with the Induction Center, then after you're old enough and big enough to handle the real thing on the battlefield, sign up as an Infantry Grenadier."

"This is the primary weapon of the Grenadiers," Scarlet pointed specifically to the Milkor M-32 rotary grenade launcher. "And you just saw how quickly it reduced that battle from an even-team scrap to a major blowout." So much so, in fact, that Scarlet had added grenade pouches to her armor to give her several reloads for the rotary grenade launcher.

"SOLD!" one of the Charlies stood up and opened the door to the exterior, which caused a sympathetic exodus of the rest of the Charlies in the car.

"Problem solved?" Pete asked after the car was emptied.

"In a hurry," Camille noted with a smile.

Car 0473 (House, 1 Leve)) (1226)  
Car 0474 (Seats, 2 level) (1228) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0475 (Seats, 2 level) (1230) (Evacuated 12 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0476 (Seats, 1 level) (1232) (Evacuated 2 Recruits, 10 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits)  
Car 0477 (Seats, 1 level) (1234) (Evacuated 3 civilians alive)

Given the car parity, Team 1 lead off the entry. There were only three tangos, but they already had one dead hostage prior to the team's approach, and Pete heard the distinct ring of a .357 revolver as it fired into the head of a tied-up teenager.

"No time, breach and bang," Megan ordered.

"Ready," Carl said after he pulled the pin on a flashbang to ready it.

Quintin used the muzzle break on his rifle to trip the doors latches, which caused the doors to slide open automatically, and from there grant entry. Carl heaved in the Flashbang before anyone entered, and after Quintin made entry the flash of the grenade mildly disoriented the entry team but crippled to the Slavers. By the time the best of the enemy was reasonably aware, Carl was in the room and Scarlet was on the way in.

Of the entry team, Ikuno shot first after she realized who among the three had executed two of the civilian hostages. The younger of the two men on the far side of the car went down with a hole in his chest, just below and to the left of his heart. Quintin followed up with the second shot that drilled the other guy in the Slaver force of three, this one a gut shot that put him down in severe, screeching pain before he faded to unconscious ten seconds later.

The third Slaver was quick to put her hands up after she realized that there were two sniper rifles aimed at her. "I surrender! Don't shoot!"

"Stand fast! Do not move!" Quintin shouted. "Keep your hands up!"

"Carl, Scarlet, secure and extract tango," Megan said, deliberately trying out her hand on using more directed language for commands.

"On it," Carl said before he led off down the corridor toward the enemy remnant. Scarlet stacked up on him immediately and continued to maintain cover on the right as he held aimpoint on the left (where the enemy was). When they arrived at the location of the target, Carl deliberately moved past her and held aimpoint, which allowed Scarlet access to the enemy.

"Slaver, turn to face the wall, keep your hands up," Scarlet ordered, to which she complied fast enough. "Down to your knees, cross your ankles."

"Are you going to execute me?" she asked warily.

"If I wanted you dead, you'd already be dead," Scarlet said. "Keep your arms up! I'm not going to tell you again!"

"Okay, okay, I'm cooperating!" the Slaver said hurriedly, then crossed her ankles as previously ordered.

Scarlet loosed her UMP40 to hang and drew the Springfield XD Tactical so she had a free hand and a weapon. With that to the back of the Slaver's head, she used her free hand to remove first the pistol (A Glock product), then a nondescript medium-barrel .357 revolver, and lastly the AR-15 with underslung Masterkey Shotgun by simply lifting the sling for the weapon over her shoulders.

"Carl, arc right," Scarlet pointed toward where she wanted him, a direct side shot toward the Slaver. Once he was in position, she holstered her pistol, unsnapped two retainers on the rear of the Slaver's load-bearing gearset, and lifted it off her shoulders and over her head to clear it. This last piece of kit went onto one of the metro benches before Scarlet gave her a quick pat-down for any concealed weapons (none) and handcuffed her.

Scarlet laid the Slaver down face-first on the floor and stood up. "Two dead and one captured in less than two minutes."

"Clint was right, the more we do this, the faster it becomes," Carl said, then looked to the three remaining hostages. "Are you three unharmed?"

"Yes, but them — " the one lady amongst the three said, waving a finger at the two other dead ladies that had been shot execution-style before Sigma could make entry.

"Not much we can do for them," Carl admitted. "You three, grab your personal effects and head out. We'll take care of the rest." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the exterior door, which had been opened by Virtue after the final Slaver was secured.

"Yes sir!" the lady answered. Despite the presence of Armored Infantry, the three civilians were quick to depart, leaving only the Sigma troops and four deceased.

"Runic funeral pyre again?" Pete asked as he approached.

"Yeah, might as well," Cedric said. "At least in death, the two executed civilians will be honored, and the dead Slavers will serve some minor function going forward."

Again, the setup and casting took roughly two minutes, a trivial expenditure of time compared to the results that Cedric derived from his spellwork. The four bodies of the slain were reduced to a pile of boots for a child, a large pile of jeweled lockets, and two groups of amulets.

"Lockets are not bad, but not all that big," Scarlet said. "Still, damn good material."

"Pile of little girl's boots, wonder where we ended up with that one in the cosmic order of things?" Carl asked.

"No telling," Cedric admitted. The exact working criteria this spell worked under was not completely understood, even by the Executors, but the utility was undeniable.

"And Amulets. Cedric?" Megan passed him one of each from the respective piles.

"First set is a size reduction Amulet, penta-use," Cedric said, then stared into the runes of the second one. "Okay, this is, well, erm, a bust reduction amulet."

"Huh," Scarlet said, holding one of said amulets. "I don't particularly think I'm overinflated, so I'll pass."

"I like my figure right now, pass," Camille said quickly and sharply.

"Boss lady?" Cedric asked Megan.

"I'm thinking on the matter," she admitted. "I'll hold off on it, not sure if I want to stay the same or reduce."

"I do," Ikuno said. "Those are five-level amulets?" she asked for clarification.

"Yes," Cedric said.

"Just one, please," Ikuno received and quickly activated it.

By Pete's estimation, she was already the least stacked of the unit, and was now reducing that further? After a moment, Pete could easily see the logic in it, a sniper had to flatten himself (herself) to the ground as much as possible for concealment and shot alignment, which made her decision perfectly plausible.

Car 0478 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1241) (Evacuated 8 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0479 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1243)  
Car 0480 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (15)) (1245) (Evacuated 9 Civilians, 2 Recruits, 2 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0481 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1247) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0482 (House, 1 Level) (1249) (Evacuated 6 civilians)  
Car 0483 (Storage Car) (1251)  
Car 0484 (Seats, 2 Level) (1253) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)  
Car 0485 (Seats, 2 Level) (1255) (Evacuated 1 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0486 (Seats, 2 Level) (1257)  
Car 0487 (Seats, 2 Level) (1259) (Evacuated 2 recruits, 4 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0488 (Seats, 1 Level) (1301) (Evacuated 4 Civilians, 2 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0489 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1303) (Evacuated 8 Civilians, 5 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits)  
Car 0490 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1305)  
Car 0491 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1307) (Evacuated 7 civilians, 3 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0492 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1309) (Evacuated 13 Civilians)  
Car 0493 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1311)  
Car 0494 (Dining) (1313) (Evacuated 30 civilians, 2 recruits) (+20min for a hot lunch for unit)  
Car 0495 (Seats, 1 Level) (1335)  
Car 0496 (Seats, 1 Level) (1337) (Evacuated 5 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0497 (Seats, 2 Level) (1339)  
Car 0498 (Seats, 2 Level) (1341)  
Car 0499 (Seats, 2 Level) (1343) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0500 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1345)

-x-x-x-

"Assuming we take ten contracts a day with an average payout of 5000, that's 12,500 a day," Corporal Dunn said. "So, by that average, we would need to do Contracts for something like 80 days to meet the absolute minimum for hiring a Temporal Psionic."

"80 days straight," Sergeant Foley grumped. "That's a long time for us to be out of our fight."

"I still say we do Rescue Ranger work until a Train comes available to clear, then we do that for the big bucks," Private Ramirez dropped his opinion on the matter.

"That would be the fastest way to the funds, but…" Corporal Dunn didn't sound convinced.

"But Ramirez is right," Sergeant Foley said. "We do Rescue Ranger work for a few weeks, then once the next Train gig comes up, we take that and use our cut to hire the necessary expertise."

"Got it, got it," Corporal Dunn answered heartily. "I don't like the Trains, though, they're too confined, lots of places for a good ambush."

"Probably why they pay so well to clear," Ramirez said. "I don't like it either, but the other option is to give up on going home or blow some guys for bucks to get home."

"Not happening," Corporal Dunn said in response to the normally-perverse Ramirez' sense of humor on the subject.

"Definitely not," Sergeant Foley said.

Private Ramirez slid the bolt carrier group of his M4A1 into the upper receiver on his rifle, locked it forward into place, and snapped the receiver closed. "All things being equal, if a gig comes up to deal with some commies or Russians, I'm sure I can find it in my heart to assist the effort," he said after he locked the retainer pin in place to seal his rifle up in ready configuration.

"Hooah," Corporal Dunn answered, then checked something on the tablet computer he had been issued. "According to this, the listings for contracts against the Soviets are fairly high dollar — several million C-bills per hit. We'd lose place because we'd be operating as a team, but that still splits in pretty well."

"Still sounds like rescue and Train work is the place to be," Ramirez said.

"I think we should sleep on it, make sure we want to go there," Sergeant Foley said. "Of course, if we buy in a large shipment of gear to take home, we could help save lives — "

Sergeant Foley was cut off by someone throwing open the door in the center of the barracks building. "Yo! Somethin's goin' down in front of Admin!"

"Trouble?" Corporal Dunn asked.

"Not sure. You locked?" Sergeant Foley asked.

"Hooah," both Ramirez and Dunn answered.

"Come on," Sergeant Foley waved them toward the door that the others were headed out to check on the present happening.

The two subordinates fell in quickly enough, their arms at sling carry only but easily ready for action if needed. None of the three yet trusted the environment, but so far they really didn't have cause to be too worried about the people. Most of the persons they had talked to were just poor sods unlucky enough to be caught up in the Trains, or had tried entering the Trains to rescue someone and failed at it.

During the walk to the Admin courtyard, Ramirez found himself walking in step with a group of ladies from one of the other barracks buildings — specifically, a fairly normal-looking brunette, a larger lady with light blue hair (Ramirez guessed her a Sylph on that note), and a half-elven lady given the small pointy ears. "Hey, ladies, any of you know what's going on up here?"

"You didn't hear?" the half-Elven lady asked in counter. "It's some kind of rescue operation involving one of the recruits," she explained what she knew.

"Rescue? Why would we need to rescue someone who is already here?" Corporal Dunn asked.

"Something involving a tree or somesuch," the Sylph answered. Ramirez considered that whatever he guessed as to her dimensions, he was probably guessing short by more than a few sizes. And what he guessed as her dimensions was not entirely uncommon around the Protectorate — something about the denizens of the Star Empires and some of the other races were well above averages from his home world.

"A tree? That's different," Sergeant Foley said. "Now I really want to see what gives."

The walk from their assigned barracks was roughly thirty minutes, to which some other assorted persons had joined their small mob headed toward Admin in search of this interesting event. The true nature of the event was still unknown to them when they caught sight of the assembly ground, but a few moments after they had line of sight the answer was made visible.

"Holy shit," Corporal Dunn said after he saw a tree materialize apparently from thin air in the distance.

"What the hell did we just see?" Private Ramirez asked.

"I don't know, but I want to find out," Sergeant Foley said, given that he did not remember a tree in that area when he exited the administration building.

"That tree wasn't there before, was it?" Corporal Dunn asked, which all but confirmed what Sergeant Foley thought.

"Don't remember it," Ramirez said.

The approach march was only a couple minutes more for the Rangers, to which they arrived just in time to get a clear picture of what was happening. A massive cheer from the crowd drowned out what was being said in the area, but it quieted fast enough.

"Hell yes! They rescued a Dryad's tree!" someone in the crowd ahead of the Rangers shouted.

"He's all right! He's gonna be alright!" someone ahead of them shouted.

"Excuse me, coming through," Corporal Dunn pushed himself forward to see what was going on from a more forward position. It was just in time to pick up on the tail end of what would have been a damn interesting conversation:

"The Protectorate of Sigma has just inadvertently discovered a new race. This is going to make some noise," a guy in white vestments said.

Sigma One sighed. "Classic case of no good deed going unpunished, I daresay," Hess said, but was smiling heartily. "I suspect as we push deeper into the annals of the Trains and MercNet, we will find a lot more. And we shall fight for every one we find, for it is the right thing to do at the end of the day," he said, which was something that Sergeant Foley both did and did not expect to hear from the Kentucky-transplant Sigma One.

"Too true, Hess," a Multimage officer said. Foley was not yet versed in their rank insignia, so he wasn't sure how far the guy was up the brass pole, but figured he was certainly not a spear-carrier.

"I think for now we are done here. Basic platoons, you are released to resume normal ops," a smaller guy in combat gear said. Foley didn't fail to recognize the Remington ACR he was carrying, or the kit Hess was wearing with the M-14 Enhanced Battle Rifle as his primary weapon, and from a distance both looked like they had a general idea what they were doing. Certainly not professional, but enough of an idea that Sergeant Foley figured it was imperative he look into their backgrounds.

As most of the elements of the crowd began to fade away, all that was left were the couple dozen stragglers that had ventured in from the induction barracks and the troops involved with the tree itself.

"A whole new race of beings," Sergeant Foley heard Sigma One say as he put a hand on the trunk of the fairly large tree.

"We have seen some pretty strange shit over the past couple weeks, boss-man, but now we're really beginning to sprint through the twilight zone," the smaller Sigma Command officer said. "We've got an inspection here in a few, Boss-man, 1630. You going to be able to make it?"

"Should be able to," Hess answered his subordinate. "In the meantime, can you get a plan set up for QRF rescue ops to extract other Dryads we find at hazard in our unit? If we found one, I suspect we have more."

" 'Suspect' my ass, boss-man. We both know there are more, just a matter of time. I'll get it written up for you before nightfall."

Hess chuckled. "Thanks, Clint." he said with a smile. The smaller guy headed out with one of the eponymous armed ladies in tow, which made Foley suspect she was something akin to a bodyguard? The three Rangers had only a few seconds to consider it before — "Where to begin, High Executor?"

"First, we have paperwork to go over, but that is another worry for later in the day. For now, I daresay we need to see to the damage to the tree itself. I'll take this one over, and likely circle back with you to start the paperwork this evening," the guy in the white vestments said. Foley, Dunn and Ramirez could not figure out if he was supposed to be some manner of holy knight or clergy, given his choice of sword and armor to go with the white cloak put his position in question.

"10-4, Executor. I expect I'll be clear after 1800," Hess said before he departed, again with the lady that had the red hair in tow.

"Anime hair?" Corporal Dunn asked Ramirez.

"Hooah," Ramirez answered, given that he found it rather striking, and the rest of the lady in question was certainly nothing to sneeze at.

"Sergeant Foley," Hess said with a nod as he approached to pass the three Rangers.

"Sir," Sergeant Foley acknowledged as he passed by. All three of the Rangers watched him pass by, then looked back to the tree, the Executor, and the guy that apparently was the Dryad attached to the tree?

"Different world, same reasons," Corporal Dunn said.

"Hooah," Sergeant Foley said. "And we're refugees to that man's Protectorate," he said, though even to him that sounded a bit hollow.

"Definitely not what I expected," Ramirez said, staring at the tree. "If the plan is still in question, I'm in."

Car 0501 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1347)  
Car 0502 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (15)) (1349) (Evacuated 8 Weebs)  
Car 0503 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1351) (Evacuated civilian, 3 Weebs)  
Car 0504 (House, 1 Level) (1353) (Evacuated 2 Civilians, 2 Recruits, 5 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0505 (Lounge) (1355) (Evacuated 2 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0506 (Seats, 1 level) (1357) (Evacuated 12 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits)

Pete again stepped into the car calmly, having been informed that the group of Weebs in the room were sympathetic to Sigma. He was decidedly not expecting their reaction when it became obvious what he was.

"Holy crap! A Weeb in the Sigma team?" A younger kid said, to which Pete guessed her age at or around nine.

"From another Train, but yeah," Pete admitted as he continued forward. He stopped at the leading edge of the group of Charlies.

An older teen approached, Pete guessed older than he was by a couple years. "Okay, big question of the day: where do we sign up?"

"That quick?" Camille asked from behind and to the right of Pete. She was a little bit older than the guy, but not by much.

"Hell yes," he answered. "We've been watching, listening, and we want in."

Pete grunted. "Sadly, there is an age restriction to join the mercenary unit. It's not much, sixteen or better, but it is there. Anyone under that, you can sign up for a preparatory academy, so you walk in the door largely trained and ready for your jobs."

"I wanna drive a Battlemech!" an eight-year-old girl said. "Are there classes for that?"

"Kid's got her priorities straight," Scarlet said as she approached the gathering.

"I think there are academy classes for Battlemech pilots?" Cedric said after thinking about it. "Also tanks, hovercraft, and helicopters are classes available."

"Cool!" A couple of the older children said.

"We're all in," the older teen boy said.

Pete pointed to the door. "Outside, up the dock until you get to the rail head, the Armored Infantry will direct you to where you need to go."

"You heard the man! We've got places to go!" The 'lead' teen threw open the passenger doors and dropped out onto the platform with ease. Ten others followed suit, leaving only one.

"Before I go, I want to know: can I have vengeance against the Slavers if I follow you?" The one remaining Charlie asked, still staring out the window.

Camille fielded this one. "It's what we do," she said. "Besides clearing the Trains and saving lives, that is."

She stood up. "I am sixteen. Where do I sign up?"

"Same place," Pete waved at the exterior doors. "You train up, select infantry as your specialist training, and join in the Rail Guard units. Once you're ready for prime-time, we assign you to a unit and run you through the Trains."

"Got it. Thanks," she said in an off color tone of voice.

"That girl knows how to hate," Megan said after she was out of earshot.

"She will learn to suppress it or she will be burned up by it," Curt pointed out the two logical outcomes of such an attitude.

"Hate keeps me warm at night," Pete said in clear jest.

Car 0507 (Seats, 1 Level) (1400) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 0508 (Seats, 1 Level) (1402) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0509 (Seats, 2 Level) (1404) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)  
Car 0510 (Seats, 1 Level) (1406) (Evacuated 1 civilian, 4 recruits, 14 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0511 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (15)) (1408) (Evacuated 14 civilians, 3 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0512 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1410) (Evacuated 8 civilians, 3 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0513 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (15)) (1412) (Evacuated 24 civilians, 3 recruits)

"Come on, step smartly," Ikuno said to a pair of twenty-somethings as they exited their sleeper room. "New quarters will be provided to all of you when you're topside. Back to the seat car, out the side door, the Armored Infantry will help steer you where to go," she said the last bit for the benefit of the next room as they evacuated.

"Going pretty smoothly," Scarlet said as she moved past Ikuno. "I like not getting shot at."

"Does wonders for the soul to pull people off these Trains alive," Quintin said. He stepped up to the next-to-last door in the car (the last being the front-end bathroom) and knocked thrice on the doorframe. "Sigma Rail Guard! This car is under evacuation notice!" After a few seconds with no response, Quintin reached for the door latch and slid it open. "OI! I said — " he cut his own sentence off abruptly when he properly saw what was on the far side of the door. " — I say, hot damn!"

"By the Allfather!" one of the ladies in the room half-exclaimed. "That's not an amateur!"

"Doesn't matter," a not-insignificantly-sized Elven lady said. "He who invades this room will work off his transgression by amusing us," she said in a rather alluring voice.

"I call first!" the lady on the bed said. "How do you like it, soldier? You on top, or the lady?" she asked while she stripped her bra off and set it aside.

"Whoa!" Quintin half-shouted. "Not while I'm on duty. And not while the Train is under a general evacuation order. Get your clothes back on, get your gear together, and get moving!" Quintin pointed down the hall in the general direction of the evacuation.

"No way! You are not weaseling out of this!" the elven lady in the room said. "You invade our room unbidden, you get to pay for it by amusing us for a few!"

Quintin opened up one of his flashbang pouches and held it up to them in demonstration. "Okay, if you really want me to bang the three of you, I'll oblige." He pulled the pin on the noise-flash device. "Flashbang time, girls. Last opportunity to play it by the rules."

"Okay, okay, by the Allfather, you've made your point," the hands-down youngest of the three ladies said. Quintin figured her in the neighborhood of 22, which put her at or slightly above his age. "We'll do it your way, but don't think you're off the hook."

"Yeah, your hook still owes us for the intrusion," the lady on the bed said as she refitted and closed up her bra.

"Fine, fine, if you feel that strongly, I'm sure something can be arranged. Just get your gear together and get moving, the induction center will get everything sorted out." Quintin said, not realizing the trouble he had just caused for the unit by acceding to their rather bizarre and perverse demand.

"You heard him," the girl on the bed said before she slipped her shirt on.

Quintin carefully threaded the pin back into the grenade and took care to spread the tines of the pin to hold it securely in place. It would not do well to jostle the pin out and have a flashbang detonate in a pouch, after all. He disarmed the NFD while he watched the three ladies finish dressing up and gathering their few personal effects. Within thirty seconds, they were geared up and ready to move.

The possible Valkyrie and the elven ladies passed him with only a frustrated look, but the lady from the bed (A rather bog-standard human, by Quintin's judgment) stopped and poked a finger at his armored chest. "You're a man that knows how to get his way the hard way. What's your name, big guy?" she asked.

"Quintin."

"I think I like your attitude. We'll talk again later tonight, and we will be holding you to an arrangement." Without further word, she hustled to join her two comrades.

"Well, that went places," Harold said.

"What exactly did you just 'arrange' us into?" Megan Christenson asked the Team 1 pointman.

"Date night, sounds like, or probably a date with benefits," he admitted.

"Okay, this could get messy," Pete said. "But, if they want to invoke it, we are honor-bound to it, so long as it's not too off-the-wall."

Curt snorted. "Definitely don't want to stain the unit's honor by reneging on such a deal."

Car 0514 (Baths, individual rooms (14)) (1416)  
Car 0515 (House, 2 Level) (1418) (Evacuated 7 civilians, 5 recruits)  
Car 0516 (Dining Car) (1420) (Evacuated 10 civilians)  
Car 0517 (Seats, 2 level) (1422) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0518 (Seats, 2 level) (1424)  
Car 0519 (Seats, 2 level) (1426)  
Car 0520 (Seats, 2 level) (1428)  
Car 0521 (Seats, 2 level) (1430) (Evacuated 2 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits) (+1min negotiation)  
Car 0522 (Seats, 2 level) (1433) (Evacuated 4 civilians)  
Car 0523 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1435) (Evacuated 2 civilians, 3 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0524 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (15)) (1437) (Evacuated 14 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0525 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1439)  
Car 0526 (House Car, 1 level) (1441) (Evacuated 2 civilians, 4 Recruits, 1 Weeb) (Camille tagged for personal acquisition 1x Clan-tech Support PPC Power Pack, 1 Optifree L75 Infantry Heavy Support Laser)  
Car 0527 (Lounge) (1443)

"Empty lounge car! That's kinda rare," Quintin said.

"Been awhile since we've had a break," Ikuno grumped.

"Sweep the car then take thirty, troops," Megan ordered after she entered the car behind Scarlet. "Rest of the Train isn't going anywhere, so we can afford a breather."

"Definitely," Harold said after he set aside his Henry Rifle and flopped down on the couch.

"Definitely," Camille said with a sigh. Scarlet flopped down next to her.

"Feeling alright, you two?" Megan asked.

"If you're worried about the bun in the oven, don't be," Camille said, pointing to her stomach. "I did a full check-up with the MedTechs this morning, all is well."

"Be a damnably crazy world our children will be born into," Scarlet said. "I'll get myself checked out tonight or tomorrow morning, but neither of us is on restriction yet."

"How long?" Megan asked.

"Six days until I go on restriction," Camille said. "I can handle it past that, but I'll obey the rules."

"Somewhere over a month for me," Scarlet said. "I won't push my luck, though."

"Good," Megan said before she moved down the line to where the guys were stretching out on the sofas. "Okay, Quintin, you talked us into it. You think the five of you can handle it?"

"I'm going to exclude myself as too young for this party," Pete said. "Think I'll have to wait for a few."

"I sense… " Megan trailed off her sentence.

"A little bit of hard reluctance?" Cedric said, voicing his opinion of Pete's recusal.

"Even evil has standards," Pete said in response. "Seriously, though, they fall in closer to your age bracket, excepting the elven lady. I'd guess her age at or around 75," Pete said, which was still young for most Elven persons.

"She is 75? Damn, that's one smoking hot and alluring senior citizen," Harold said.

"Pfft, Elves age differently from most of the other races," Pete responded wryly. "400 or older is not unheard of for a retirement age, and an Elven lady that takes proper care of herself can still look under 40 to most eyes while being over 200. Shit, Dragons can run upwards of a thousand years old for lifespan, and Phoenix keep recycling themselves every 200 years or so. Which reminds me, how far up the totem pole are you, Carl?" the elven pointman asked.

Carl chuckled. "A hundred and twenty, you young whippersnapper," he answered with a smile. "If anyone objects, I'll deal with the elven lady."

"Dunno," Cedric said. "We still don't know what their arrangement is going to be, we have to see that much first."

"I think we've seen quite a bit of it already," Quintin pointed out.

"Yeah, I think one of 'em may like you a bit," Harold pointed out.

"Maybe," Quintin dodged. "We'll just see what we'll see."

"Some things, when seen, can not be unseen," Ikuno pointed out from the next couch down.

"True," Pete said. "Who's up for a game of pool?"

Car 0528 (Seats, 1 Level) (1515) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0529 (Seats, 2 Level) (1517)  
Car 0530 (Seats, 2 Level) (1519) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0531 (Seats, 1 Level) (1521) (Evacuated 5 civilians, 1 recruit, 11 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0532 (Seats, 1 Level) (1523) (Evacuated 10 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0533 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (15)) (1525) (Evacuated 9 civilians, 5 recruits)  
Car 0534 (Baths, individual rooms (14)) (1527) (Evacuated 12 civilians)  
Car 0535 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1529) (Evacuated 10 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0536 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1531) (Evacuated 1 recruit, 2 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0537 (House, 1 Level) (1533) (Evacuated 1 Civilian)  
Car 0538 (Storage) (1535)

Harold led the way into the car with the 'unknown armed persons', and initially only one of them caught sight of him or the rest of the entry team. The others only began reacting after Camille was in the room (third of four).

Weapons were raised already, but one of the enemy personnel was first on the trigger — and his attempt at taking the initiative resulted in a clicking sound when he tried firing his pistol with the safety on. Cedric ventilated this first attempted attacker with two rounds, one in the left thigh and a second a bit higher, roughly centered in his stomach, two rounds from his M-14 ended the threat.

"DROP IT!" Harold shouted at a guy with an Uzi sub-machinegun, and before he could bring up the weapon onto target the pointman drilled the interloper in the forehead with his Henry Rifle. The 300-grain .45 Long Colt jacketed hollow point punched a clean hole in the tango's forehead just above the left eye, and cratered out a good six inches of the back of his skull. He next targeted and shot a greenhorn enemy who was dual-wielding .38 Special revolvers, a single fast shot with the rifle on the move missed the vital areas and instead drilled the enemy in the right thigh and dropped him screaming to the ground.

Pete walked into the room under fire, someone tried doing him with a .357 as he crossed the threshold, but the shot missed his face by several inches. Pete did not miss the greenhorn, a single shot from his M-24 to the tango's chest and he dropped to his knees and slumped forward, dead or dying with his arse in the air. Harold followed up with two shots on the guy next to Pete's target, with his first shot to the hand of the guy that was holding a Desert Eagle pistol, and the second shot to his forearm in lieu of a body shot as the guy collapsed out of the line of fire.

Camille kneeled down to one knee and brought her Infantry Support Laser up on target. An ISL looked like an older light anti-tank rocket launcher, or more like a shoulder-fired MANPADS ( **Man** - **P** ortable **A** ir **D** efense **S** ystem), but functioned more like a laser rifle carried and fired from the shoulder. It was designed to put a hurt on lighter battle armor systems, mainly as a Multimage militia weapon or as a primary light weapon for Multimage Armored Infantry. So, when Camille fired her laser at a fresh recruit Slaver (still under apprentice training), her beam struck his right hand, punched through the right hand with ease, bridged the gap to his chest, punched clean through the chest by way of thermokinetic energy transfer, and put a scorch mark in the door to the next car.

The tango whom Henry had downed with two shots to the right arm had drawn a reserve pistol and tried to use it in his off-hand, and in three shots he contacted once on Cedric, a body shot that only barely drew Cedric's attention. On the other hand, 5 rounds of .40 from the UMP40 Cedric still carried as a primary was enough to end that threat, after he put the entire pattern in the enemy's guts.

Camille did the last of the uninjured tangos, as he tried breaking from cover she caught him in the left waist broadside with the Infantry Support Laser. The round cut through him left to right and flashed a goodly portion of his innards to char by the thermal pulse. He screeched on the way down to the ground, but the impact and the shock of the wound caused him to pass out on impact with the floor, whereby shock and blood loss finished killing him less than a minute thereafter.

"Did we get the shitheads?" Pete asked.

"One still active!" Harold kept his sights on the downed dual-wielder whom he only punched a hole in his leg.

Megan looked over Camille's head at the one remaining tango, then clicked her radio toggle. "Command, Rail Guard One, seven down in car 538, one wounded tango requires medevac."

"Acknowledged," Virtue answered.

"Like Hell I'm going to let you take me alive," the guy said before he put his left-hand revolver to his head —

"NO!" Camille shouted at the guy, but —

He dropped the hammer. "Command, Rail Guard, cancel medevac. Tango dropped himself."

"Cedric?" Camille asked after a moment.

"Yeah, definitely."

Three minutes later, Cedric had the Rune activated and the deceased tangos were cooked off and converted to some mildly usable material. In destroying the bodies, the team never found out that the vanquished were Slavers, specifically an ace Slaver training in a group of greenhorns. The loss of the Slaver team would go unnoticed by the Guild as well, written off as casualty to the journeyman training even if it was Sigma that was properly culpable.

A couple of the tangos converted into clothes, one converted into some necklaces, and a fourth had become a rather significant pile of Military Power Packs (High-capacity). That left three who converted into Amulets.

"What do we have?" Ikuno asked after a moment.

"First group is Threshold Amulets, physical toughness basically. Quad-use amulets, over two hundred of them."

"I'll want in on a few of those," Quintin said.

"Second group is Instability modifiers, changes any personal quirks or desires," Cedric pointed to the smallest of the piles.

"Don't think any of us would need that?" Megan asked. Nobody rose to the bait.

"Third one, whoa," he grumped. "Gender Change Amulets."

"Definitely don't need those, but they can sell very well," Megan pointed out. "Anyone want in on the Amulets?"

By the time Megan was done with requests for the toughness Amulets, everyone in the unit except her had used a pair, so she followed suit.

Car 0539 (Seats, 2 Level) (1542) (Evacuated 14 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0540 (Seats, 1 Level) (1544) (Evacuated 1 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0541 (Seats, 2 Level) (1546) (Evacuated 5 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0542 (Seats, 2 Level) (1548)  
Car 0543 (Seats, 2 Level) (1550) (Evacuated 9 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0544 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1552) (Evacuated 23 civilians) (Found and collected 2 Runic Amulets and 2 Combat Magic Spell Amulets)  
Car 0545 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1554) (Evacuated 5 civilians, 3 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0546 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1556) (Evacuated 2 recruits, 13 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0547 (Baths, Individual Stalls (20)) (1558) (Evacuated 11 Civilians)  
Car 0548 (House, 1 Level) (1600) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0549 (Dining Car) (1602) (Evacuated 23 Civilians)  
Car 0550 (Seats, 2 Level) (1604)

-x-x-x-

After returning to barracks, Sergeant Foley began a concerted search into Sigma One's background while Dunn and Ramirez went over the video and audio of the rescue of the Dryad's tree. Both endeavors were a learning experience for the three troops, as well as a clear-cut case of being convinced that their new 'overlord' was a hell of a lot more than he allowed himself to explain to anyone. (They were also convinced that he was likely slightly insane, but if so, on the functional / effective side of insane.)

During the search of active Americans in the Protectorate, another name had come up: the boss rotor-head over the unit's aviation squad was also an American, a veteran of the Gulf War that had quickly volunteered for helo pilot gig and had been assigned a command position by Hess early on. Beck Ellsworthy, Major, United States Marine Corps, with time in the Whiskey Cobra to go along with it.

"Virtue, is Major Ellsworthy available for a few minutes for a chat?" Sergeant Foley asked on a hunch.

"He does not have any scheduled flight operations for the day, though he does have night training runs on the calendar. Allow me to verify availability," Virtue answered the Ranger Sergeant. "Confirmed, he is available at this time."

"Do you have a spare vehicle we may have use of for the trip?" Foley knew the headquarters of the aviation squadron was over an hour hard march from his barracks, easily doable but not pleasant nor efficient.

"Aye, the militia team can bring you a vehicle up. Five minutes ETA."

"Thank you," Sergeant Foley said.

-x-

Two honks outside the barracks building signaled the arrival of the vehicles. Foley, Dunn and Ramirez had doffed their heavy armor sets and rifles, their gear was stowed away in locker units at their bunks, leaving only their battle belts (pistol belts with attached MOLLE panels), two grenades and smokes and their pistols with four mags each, so their appearance was a bit different from when they last saw the Goodwin twins.

"Heard you need some wheels, Sergeant?" Cyrus said after he closed the driver-side door for the training vehicle.

"Yeah, got a chat with the boss rotor-head here in a few."

"Sign this, sir," Cyrus passed him a tablet with a basic responsibility for equipment form. It was one fairly simplistic page, but Foley figured it no less legally binding than the four forms he had to sign off last time he rented a car from Hertz. Foley gladly signed it and passed it back to the Militiaman. "When you're done, gas it up at the northern fuel farm, #2 Diesel, and return it to the parking lot south of Admin. If you need to hold it overnight, inform Virtue so we don't get a request to track it down."

"Roger that. Thanks, Militiaman," Foley offered his hand for a shake, to which Cyrus accepted. "If I may ask a personal question?"

"Hit me, Sergeant," Cyrus said.

"What's your involvement in this?"

"Sigma One offered my pops a job here in the Protectorate, and as part of the deal he pulled the whole family from under the Star League. Dad was a Jump Gate Engine Technician, laid off for five years and welding parts in a sweatshop in the slums of Lunar City. Barrett and I volunteered to operate as Militia support for the Protectorate in gratitude for extracting us."

' _Extracting us'? Jesus Almighty, it must be bad if they frame it that way. Wonder what the Star League is doing so bad to earn that level of contempt?_ "Thanks, Militiaman," Foley came to attention and saluted, to which Cyrus returned the honor.

"Good luck, Sergeant," Cyrus hopped in the back of the lead HMMVW and crawled into the passenger cabin as his brother took off. By the time they made it to the next block, Cyrus was up in the MG mount.

"Pile in," Foley waved Dunn and Ramirez into the HMMVW.

"Sarge, I'm beginning to think we're attacking this problem from the wrong angle," Corporal Dunn said.

"I suspect we are suspecting the wrong person here," Private Ramirez pointed out his misgivings.

"I won't give him a pass just because he's an American," Foley said after he started the engine. "I want reasons, mainly because this kind of action doesn't match what I'd expect from a common citizen." Foley wouldn't admit to himself that he had allowed common media bias against the term 'Militiaman' to cloud his judgment on the issue, even if all the indicators were leaning in the proper directions.

"Hooah," Corporal Dunn answered.

-x-

(Aviation Headquarters Barracks, Bae Boarhound Northern Runway)

Sergeant Foley entered first for the Rangers, not knowing what to expect on the far side of the door into the barracks, but not entirely unsure of what he would see. The first view met expectations pretty well, a little more than a dozen persons total at desks, going over documentation or working on computers, all of whom were wearing the typical jumpsuits of aviation personnel. He wasn't surprised to find nonhumans in the room, but he was a bit surprised to find about a third of them were Sylphs, light blue hair and all, and only one Elven lady.

"Some newcomers?" a rather large guy asked. "You here to join the aviation squad?"

"No, sir, just here to speak with Major Ellsworthy. I am Sergeant Foley, 75th Ranger Battalion."

"Ah, gotcha. You're in the right place — "

A whistle cut off the big guy and drew attention to one of the offices. "Heads up, people! Got a request for medical and personal supplies out to Mayville. Two pallets, about seven tons of gear, so I'm sending the Chinook II-M. Who's up?" an older gentleman in a flight jumpsuit said from the doorway of an office not far down the wall.

"Andrea and Strom, sir," a late-twenties lady said from the far side of the room.

"Here's the info, troops. Militia will be waiting to load you up on the parade ground north of Admin. And make damn sure you avoid running your rotors through the canopy of the new resident Dryad tree, follow?"

"Roger that, boss!" a not-quite-twenty guy said before he received a folder with documents.

"Wake it and shake it, kids. Vandren is preflighting your bird right now." Without further word, the two requested troops were out the door and on the way toward the flight line. "Sergeant Foley?"

"Yes sir!" Foley answered immediately.

"Come on in," Ellsworthy waved them into his office. After the three Rangers entered, he closed the door behind them. "Be seated, gentlemen. Major Beck Ellsworthy, United States Marine Corps, '79 to '94, did Panama and Gulf One."

"Sergeant Mike Foley, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, 2005 to 2015, Operation Enduring Freedom and the Russian Invasion of the US." All three Rangers saluted the Major, who returned the salute sharply.

"Damn good to hear some back-home voices, gentlemen, and damn good you got off that hellwagon alive. Please be seated." All four soldiers took seats. "So, what's on your mind, Sergeant?"

"Major, we're trying to figure out how we want to proceed on gaining access to resources to go home, and we're just not sure about Sigma One."

"And we're less sure about the players above him," Private Ramirez said.

"And you're looking for another American with some insight into the top-level?" Major Ellsworthy asked.

"Yes, sir. Meaning no disrespect to Sigma One, but something doesn't seem right about him, especially for a civilian claiming to be Militia," Sergeant Foley laid out his thoughts.

"You're right, Sergeant, something is a bit off about Sigma One, especially compared to the average urbanite or suburbanite civilian from the States," Beck confirmed the Sergeant's analysis. "He's a country-boy hardass, a Technical Analyst by trade, a gun nut by hobby, and possibly the nicest guy I've ever met from the civilian world who has time behind a rifle in real combat. If you're worried about him going off the edge without a parachute, you can bury that thought. He's got six telepaths in close proximity to him and not one has heard a hint in his mind of him going apeshit."

"That's good to know," Corporal Dunn said with some relief to voice.

" 'Bout the only sin I can accuse him of is a distrust of the United States government and national governments in general. Everything else is on the up-and-up or close enough to it. He has said he has no intention of taking action against any dimensional instance of the United States government, and I expect he'll hold to that word."

"And that's why you're following him, sir?" Sergeant Foley asked, trying to cut to the heart of the matter.

"No, I'm following Hess because he's the man with the plan, the backing of several of the big-league local players, and big enough balls to piss on the Star League in full view of the interdimensional press corps. He's probably not the best guy for the job, but he's smart enough to know how to delegate and how to find the best available manpower for any given requirement, which tells me he has his shit in gear at the command level. And, most critical of all, he has the confidence of the average joe and jane around here, mainly because these people know that the alternative is the Star League, the progenitors of their troubles to begin with, and that the people know that their new overlord chronically distrusts the Star League gives a lot of them a warm and fuzzy feeling."

"Okay, sir, I must be missing something here," Corporal Dunn said. "What's so bad about the Star League? From what I read, they kinda look like the United Nations on a bigger scale. Bloated, incompetent, and useless."

"That's only half of the problem, Corporal," Major Ellsworthy said. "The Star League is its own overlord government, answerable to effectively nobody, and insulated and immune to the consequences of their actions. And the perfect example of their ability to fuck the pooch up and suffer no backlash for it rests in the railhead under the administration building," he pointed in the general direction of Admin for effect.

"The Train, sir? That's their bust?" Private Ramirez asked.

"Hang a big 'roger' on that, Private. The Star League put every one of those Trains in service, some one hundred fifty thousand of them. For 3500 years, the Executors have been telling the Star League to dismantle the Trains, so in a perfect case of spoiled bureaucrats, they've only increased the supplies and slavers going into them to spite the Executors. Those hellwagons are supplied by the Star League, they keep going completely out of control because the Star League refuses to manage them, and they have become a haven to the Slavers because the Star League refuses to eliminate them. Your presence here, in the Protectorate of Sigma as refugees from America, is solely at the behest of the Star League and their criminal negligence in managing those Trains. I signed up to drive helos for Sigma because Hess has the sheer balls to stand up to the Star League, to capture and dismantle those Trains, and the willingness to give those refugees a shot at a new life. I'll follow him as long as he does the right thing."

"Jesus Almighty, not what I expected to hear," Sergeant Foley said.

"Hooah," Private Ramirez answered.

"Keep an eye on him for a few days. Go back over his steps, see if he put a foot wrong somewhere. God only knows I have, as have others around here. If you find anything, give me a shout."

"Yes, sir," Sergeant Foley said.

-x-x-x-

Car 0551 (Seats, 1 Level) (1606)  
Car 0552 (Seats, 1 Level) (1608)  
Car 0553 (Seats, 2 Level) (1610)  
Car 0554 (Seats, 1 Level) (1612)  
Car 0555 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (15)) (1614) (Evacuated 22 Civilians, 4 Recruits)  
Car 0556 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1616) (Evacuated 13 Civilians)  
Car 0557 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1618) (Evacuated 15 Civilians, 12 Charlie Mafiosi) (+4min negotiation)  
Car 0558 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1624)  
Car 0559 (House, 1 Level) (1626) (Evacuated 7 Civilians)  
Car 0560 (Lounge) (1628) (Evacuated 17 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0561 (Seats, 1 Level) (1630) (Evacuated 15 Charlie Mafia)  
Car 0562 (Seats, 1 Level) (1632) (Evacuated 2 Weebs)  
Car 0563 (Seats, 2 Level) (1634) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0564 (Seats, 1 Level) (1636) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)

"Just one," Pete said after he had eyes on the one person in the room.

"You want this one?" Camille asked.

"No, I think I'll let you handle this one, I do better with groups."

"Got it," Camille said with a smile. She advanced forward to where the little girl was sleeping. Her approach was stealthy enough to not wake the girl, and even touched her to verify alive without waking her directly.

The not-yet-a-teen twitched away from Camille's hand, fell over onto the metro bench she was sitting on, and that impact did wake her up. "Wha — who?" She quickly enough caught sight of Camille standing next to her bench. "Who are you?" the kid asked.

"Sigma Mercenaries. Take it easy, young one, we're just clearing the train," Camille said quietly and consolingly.

"Oh," the kid seemed to release tension quickly. "Why?"

"Because bad people use the Trains for bad things," Camille explained. "So we're doing the right thing by getting everyone off the Train."

"Oh, um, okay!" the way she answered told Camille that something was up.

"Something's up with your answer. Did you do something, or someone do something to you?" she asked.

"I, erm, I want off the Train, but that's because the Slavers are chasing me, and they're not going to be happy with me when they catch me!"

"This sounds like an awesome story!" Ikuno said as she sat down across the walkway from the girl.

"It's kinda neat! Did you know there are groups on the Train that will fight each other just as soon as they look at each other?"

"I'm listening," Camille said as she took a seat across from the kid.

"Yeah! When I fled the Slavers in car 580, they sent a dozen after me. So I kept running back the Train, until I encountered some troopers wearing red, black and brown camouflage. I ran behind the soldiers and took cover, and when the Slavers met them, it was an instant fight! The Slavers won, but only two survived and they were wounded, so I finished them off with magic. It was scary and fun all at the same time!"

"Huh, never seen that," Camille said. "How far ahead did that happen?" she asked.

"Two cars — no, three cars ahead," the kid said. Ikuno checked the security feed from that car and confirmed multiple dead bodies in the area with a nod to Camille. "I just kinda wandered this way, sat down, and fell asleep afterward. Is that normal?"

"After all that excitement, yeah, I could see taking a nap," Camille said. "Not sure who the soldiers in camo were, but we'll check them out when we get to that car."

Megan leaned her hip up against the metro bench back next to the refugee. "Anything of their equipment you want saved? You did cause their deaths, you get the gear if you want it."

"Uh, yeah! I think I want one of their gear harness sets, and two of them had small guns that fired rifle rounds! Can you get me some of them?" the child said.

"These?" Ikuno showed her tablet to the child, with the weapon in question highlighted.

"Uh, yeah!" she answered.

"We'll get you a gearset," Megan promised her. "Need you to head out for safety, we'll take care of the rest."

"Got it!" the child jumped up and headed for the door. "Thanks, ladies! You're awesome!"

"Those are AKS-74U Krinkov sub-guns," Ikuno read off the weapons specification sheet. "Primarily used and manufactured by Eastern Bloc countries, namely the Soviet Union and later the Russian Federation."

Car 0565 (Seats, 1 Level) (1642)  
Car 0566 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1644) (Evacuated 0 Civilians, 1 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0567 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14) (1646)

"Hot damn, kid wasn't joking," Quintin said after he pushed into the room.

"Russian flag armpatches, these are the Russian troops that Sergeant Foley and his comrades were pursuing," Carl said after he passed the second of the downed troops.

"Team one, move forward to the Slaver end and take stock there. Team two, police up the Russian end. Cedric, pick a bathroom and prepare your rune."

"Aye aye," Cedric answered the team lead.

"Kid wants a gearset and the two Krinkov sub-guns, so I'll tag 'em for her. Strip the least-damaged armor set and pile it in this first bathroom," Megan ordered.

"Here!" Pete said, standing next to the pointman for the Russians. "This guy went down due to a messy headshot. His armor is intact."

"There's her gearset, now for the rest," Camille said before she unlatched the armor from the dead trooper and began unzipping it.

"Krinkov," Harold passed Camille one of the requested sub-guns.

"And the other one," Megan handed it to Camille after she had set aside the first. "Armor, sub-guns, magazines, pistol, grenades, knife, anything else?"

"Dogtags?" Pete held the tag of the deceased trooper up.

"No, we will give those to Foley to confirm his task is done," Megan said. "Pass the tags here and take the bodies down to Cedric's setup point."

The actual setup of the Runes (multiple) took several minutes, as did piling the bodies. Cedric opted for three Runes to properly dispose of all eighteen in such tight quarters, though all three runes were activated with a single spell and completed the disposal without a hitch.

The actual results, though, were every bit beyond what they rightfully expected to draw from the deceased.

"Holy crap, look at these crowns," Ikuno said after the magic had worked its magic and it was safe to approach the remnants. "These suckers could sell for big cash!"

"Are we allowed?" Curt asked.

"Grab five if you want them, don't be hoggish on the loot. Remember, the purpose of this is to bring in cash for the Protectorate, which benefits us all. We'll get paid handsomely for the job at the end." Each of the troops did partake of five of the crowns each, which would turn around for 800 C-bills each (without haggling), netting a rather significant bonus payout for each of them.

Some bracelets were also found in another room, and some small Poppy-colored Topaz gems, but the troop passed those on as salvage. A small assortment of clothing was recovered from the remnant, which left only —

" — That's a significant pile of Amulets," Megan said.

"Easily over a thousand," Cedric said with some pride in his own handiwork. The unit lead considered that ration of pride entirely justified, as some of the Amulets in question were Decahedron-grade Amulets, easily capable of selling for a thousand C-bills a pop without a bidding war to influence price.

"So, what's what?" Ikuno asked after Cedric collated the Amulets.

"Okay, if you squirrel away these Amulets, which aren't physical modifiers, you have these," Cedric had stacked and lined the little wooden planks against the exterior wall of the bath car with the help of a couple others. "Two grades of Size Reducer, Decahedron-grade and Penta-Grade. If you really want to drop sizes, this is the way to go."

"Not really," Megan said.

"Anyone want to increase sizes? These are quad-grade size increases." Nobody took. "Anyone want to reduce mental instability?"

"I'll do two of those, just to be on the safe side," Camille said, and received her goods promptly.

"And the last of the last is physical conditioning increases, quad-rated. Any takers?"

All eyes fell on Megan, who was oddly enough the one person who was lagging behind the rest in physical conditioning. She was definitely ahead of where she had been in training, due to some amulet use in days prior, but she was definitely lagging behind everyone else.

"Okay, okay, you win," Megan answered. "I'll do this. I'll do three of them, if each of you do one."

"Challenge accepted," Pete said after he grabbed one off the top of the stack. Each grabbed their allotment of conditioning amulets and used them, each with expectations of another scramble for new clothing in the morning. They would not be disappointed, any of them.

Car 0568 (Sleeper Car, double beds (9)) (1658) (Evacuated 11 Civilians, 4 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0569 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1700) (Evacuated 15 civilians)  
Car 0570 (House, 1 Level) (1702) (Evacuated 7 Civilians)  
Car 0571 (Dining) (1704) (Evacuated 23 Civilians, 3 Recruits, 4 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0572 (Seats, 2 level) (1706) (Evacuated 10 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits)  
Car 0573 (Seats, 2 Level) (1708) (Evacuated 5 Civilians)  
Car 0574 (Seats, 1 Level) (1710)  
Car 0575 (Seats, 1 Level) (1712)  
Car 0576 (Seats, 1 Level) (1714)  
Car 0577 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1716) (Evacuated 13 Civilians)  
Car 0578 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1718) (Evacuated 4 Civilians, 5 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0579 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1720) (Evacuated 9 Civilians, 4 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0580 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1722) (Evacuated (REDACTED))

Pete entered cautiously, given that he had good security camera footage to the happenings in the room and he knew where the enemy was and what direction they were facing. By being very careful and deliberate, he figured he had a better than 60-40 chance of getting in place and snapping a couple shots before they noticed.

The Stalls-only bath cars were set up different from the other baths cars, and as it happens easier to make an ambush possible. Rather than walls and partitions, the shower area was separated by a curtain track that usually had no curtains (they were torn down by passers-by to make for a peep show) and most of the stalls usually had no curtain rods either. Essentially, it became something of an open-air shower and show in practice, even if it was supposed to have a modicum of privacy built-in.

In this case, the peep show worked against the five Slavers who were shepherding this group of hostages through the showers. They were watching the action in the showers, their backs to the walkway and their guns effectively out of action — the only combat-slung rifle amongst the five was a FAL with a bayonet. Pete was able to approach the walkway partition at the end of the shower area undetected, braced his M-24 against the partition undetected, and sighted up the most threatening tango for a clean headshot with nobody the wiser. His trigger discipline was perfect, an ear canal shot on the left side of the one tango wearing body armor who also happened to be carrying a Harris M-95 sniper rifle, a .50-caliber brute of an anti-material rifle.

The first shot was all the surprise the Rail Guard received. Pete's rifle bore a 20 centimeter-long canister-style suppressor on the end, but a suppressor did not act like a 'silencer' did in the movies. His shot was reduced by some 30 decibels, but every person in the room clearly knew it was a gunshot and the descending body amongst the Slavers also provided hint that something wicked this way comes. He quickly ran the bolt and singled out the FAL user, aimed center mass on the now-moving tango, and dumped a second shot. Said tango went down screaming, the round passed through his left kidney on the way out the back and crippled him. With his second shot, he was empty on ammo and out of the battle — the action would finish up well before he could bring his UMP40 forward to continue the fight.

Despite having their arms out of ready grip, the next action was on the Slavers' side, one of which brought to bear a Mini-UZI and ripped a burst toward the interlopers. Three rounds clipped Camille high in the chest, absorbed by her body armor and effectively harmless for it. The Dragon Scale Six armor dispersed most of the impact force across a square meter of interlocked ceramic and titanium tiles, which drastically reduced the kinetic transfer to her body and redirected some of it into the MOLLE pouches and gear she carried.

Harold countered the enemy shooter with two rounds from his Henry Rifle, the first round caught him in the left hand and rendered it unusable, the second round hammered into the enemy's chest and put him down hard. This Slaver coughed up blood almost immediately from a penetrated lung, and would continue to bleed even if he did not immediately die from the strike.

Rather than use the heavy M-14 in these quarters, Cedric opted for the UMP40 against the moving target with the unidentified maybe-a-sub-machinegun weapon that looked like the bastard child of a Lewis Machine Gun and a Thompson Submachine Gun. Even while moving, Cedric still managed to drill him three times, twice in the upper chest and once in the arm, a series of hits that put him on the ground with an unfired weapon.

Harold did the last of the tangos, an attempted hostage-taker who had reached into a shower and grabbed the hair of one of the ladies, but before he could do anything more Harold busted him in the side of the chest with one solid round from the Henry rifle. The strike was perfectly aimed, it cored out his heart on an angle and caused a massive splat of blood on the inside of the shower next to the almost-a-human-shield lady.

"One down right!" Cedric reported.

"Three down center!" Pete acknowledged.

"One down at the showers!" Harold reported.

"All hostages safe!" Camille said after a quick inspection confirmed none of the ladies were injured.

"Curt, restore their hearing," Megan ordered as Team 2 continued down the outside walkway to secure the far door and Team 1 entered to secure the scene.

" _ **The restorative winds of Holy Nature blow through all, restore unto all beings their proper state of affairs with Esuna!**_ " Curt chanted, which cleared all the deafness caused by the gunfire in the room for everyone involved.

"I can hear again!" One of the ladies half-shouted. "Are you Sigma?" she asked at a more reasonable volume.

"10-4, we are the Rail Guard," Megan answered. "Get dried off and dressed up, these Slavers no longer hold you captive."

"Sick little fuckwagons," Quintin kicked over one of the Slavers. "Using an open-air shower as a peep show for the captives. Oh, wait, this one is still alive. Should I do him?"

"You heard the boss, if we take them alive, they go before the Magi — " Megan said, but was cut off by one of the captives:

" — He is defeated, show him at least some compassion," a lady said as she approached the downed tango. "I will heal him and the other survivor."

"Hold one," Curt said. He flipped the first wounded tango to face-down and brought his arms back to where they were crossed at the wrists, then handcuffed his wrists. "Safety first. These are vicious Slavers, even if you intend to heal them, miss."

" _ **A green wind shall infuse these injuries and heal the trauma of flesh by way of Cura**_ ," she chanted, which spell immediately cleared all of his injury in a matter of seconds.

"Ikuno, cuff that other survivor," Megan ordered. After the second Slaver was secured and disarmed, the lady applied her stunningly effective magicks.

"So now what?" the lady that had healed the wounded Slavers asked Megan.

"This incident is done," Megan said. "We police up the bodies, turn the surviving Slavers over to the Magi for deep interrogation, and we find you fourteen new homes off this Train."

"Ah," the lady said as she finished pulling her tube-top down into place. "I should not be so challenging to those who have spared us any more foul depredations," she said with a bow. "I am Holly, a divine-trained healer. If I can be of service, I would like to do so."

"You've done enough," Megan answered with a smile. As much as she had no objection to seeing dead Slavers, she did understand the objective reality of capturing them having more benefit than simply waxing them, and keeping them alive was parcel to that reality. "Virtue, Rail Guard, show two captured Slavers for turn over to Star Colonel Storme, need Military Police to take possession of tangos before we can continue ops."

"Rail Guard, Century Commander Vickers, hand the dezgra dogs off to the Armored Infantry roving the platform and they will forward to Star Colonel Storme, how copy?" a difference voice answered.

"Good copy, Century Commander. Rendezvous expected car 581 for prisoner transfer. Rail Guard resuming as normal."

"I'll take possession of them for now," Camille said before she lifted one, then the other, and pushed them at gunpoint to the outer wall of the car.

"And now for the deceased," Megan said.

"You will use the funeral pyre?" Holly asked plaintively.

"Yes," Cedric said as he stepped up to the front of the Sigma line. "Clear out of the center section! I have a Rune to prepare," he waved the former hostages to the side.

"Do you not fear the wrath of the Gods in so doing? Dealing with the deceased is not the providence of we mere mortals," Holly asked.

Cedric began chalking in the rune necessary for the pyre and Team 1 stripped down the deceased Slavers of their gear and valuables. "No, in these lands, the handling of the deceased is entirely the dominion of the Will Transcendent, Master Executor Eric Atrebas, and he has declared that the Runic Pyre is entirely permissible when dealing with dishonored foes — the Slavers being on that list by default," Curt explained.

"We will convert the Slavers into material wealth and distribute it into the Protectorate, that in death they may pay for their sins by helping those they have wronged," Cedric explained as he finished the rune up and the first deceased tango was dropped on it.

"Grisly!" a very attractive thirty-something lady said.

"They've earned it," an elven lady answered. Pete guessed her age in the neighborhood of 60, and despite being quite a bit younger than her, he found her rather interesting...

The third deceased tango was dropped on the rune. "Ready for it, Cedric."

"Hold!" The divine-trained White Mage said. "I do not know this spell, but I can assist." She moved over next to Cedric and put her hand on his shoulder. "You may begin."

" _ **The eternal flames of the Sun of Elysium, reach into the mortal realms and consume these fallen by the Rune of Funeral Pyre**_ ," Cedric chanted, which activated the Rune using both his and Holly's distortion aura at this point.

After the flames consumed their bodies, the increased magic power amplified the flames inside the rune into a large column of fire, and from that column was born a literal deluge of material that erupted from the circumference of the Rune and piled in the center of the benches area of the shower car.

"Ho-Lee Shit," Pete said after he saw the literally massive pile of material come to a rest.

"Silver chain-belts, Strength amulets, and what are these?" Cedric picked up a very small item that had landed about the area by the hundreds. It was smaller than his thumbnail, which made it a very curious object.

"Oh, these? Micro Power Packs. Each one of these can only hold a little charge, not even enough to run a laser pistol, but they're perfect for small electronics. And they sell like hotcakes at an elevated value for how much they hold," Camille identified them.

"Well, we'll have Salvage sweep them up and market them out," Cedric shrugged before he tossed the one he was holding back on the pile. "We'll get a cut of 25 percent at the end."

"That is INSANE!" a half-Nymph lady amongst the hostages said. "All that — from those three? Where do I sign up?"

Car 0581 (House, 1 Level) (1730) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0582 (Lounge) (1732) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0583 (Seats, 2 Level) (1734) (Evacuated 2 civilians, 1 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0584 (Seats, 2 Level) (1736) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)  
Car 0585 (Seats, 1 Level) (1738) (Evacuated 13 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0586 (Seats, 1 Level) (1740)  
Car 0587 (Seats, 1 Level) (1742) (Evacuated 2 Recruits)  
Car 0588 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1744) (Evacuated 2 civilians, 12 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits)  
Car 0589 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1746) (Evacuated 4 Recruits)  
Car 0590 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1748)  
Car 0591 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1750)  
Car 0592 (House, 1 Level) (1752) (Evacuated 3 Civilians)  
Car 0593 (Storage) (1754) (Evacuated 5 Civilians, 1 Recruit)  
Car 0594 (Seats, 1 Level) (1756) (Evacuated 1 Recruit, 9 Charlie Mafiosi) (+2min negotiation)  
Car 0595 (Seats, 2 Level) (1800) (Evacuated 14 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0596 (Seats, 2 Level) (1802)  
Car 0597 (Seats, 1 Level) (1804) (Evacuated 1 recruit, 11 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0598 (Seats, 1 Level) (1806)  
Car 0599 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1808) (Evacuated 11 Civilians)  
Car 0600 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1810) (Evacuated 1 Recruit)

"Six Hundred," Pete said with a sigh once he cleared the last corner of the car. "Six fucking hundred."

"In 50 cars, we will be exactly halfway there," Camille said with a sigh of her own. "What do you think, boss lady? Go for the halfway mark, or hold here?"

"Hell with going for it, we aren't being paid by the hour and I'm already tired, hot, sweaty, and miserable," Megan said as she idly dug through a woman's suitcase abandoned in the shower room.

"Call it here? Shower here, sleep it off in the prior car?" Curt asked.

"Works for me," Pete said wearily. "Been a helluva day."

"10-4 to that," Scarlet said.

"I'm game," Megan said before she tripped her radio switch. "Virtue, Rail Guard, reporting last car of advance as 600, we are going to break down, shower here, and retire to Car 599 for the night, how copy?"

"Solid copy all, Rail Guard," Virtue answered. "Reporting total captures as 9 Slavers, total evacuations as 1262 mixed civilians and Weebs for the day. Sigma One acknowledges progress and sends congratulations. One outstanding issue remains for the team at this time."

"Go ahead," Megan replied.

"The Train evacuees from Car 513 have called the offer of arrangement, though they are willing to bargain down from 3-on-1 to 1-on-1 for the transgression of invading their room. Be advised, you are not legally required to accept under prior judgments for Freedom of Association and policy that Sigma owns the Trains and has a duty to clear regardless of occupancy."

"Unh," Quintin groused. "I allowed myself to forget about them."

"Uh-uh, Quintin," Camille said with a clap on the arm to the Team 1 pointman. "We are a team. We fight every battle as a team, including the strange ones."

"You're not alone on this," Cedric said to Quintin. "They want to extract 'vengeance' from us because we saved their asses from this Train, they can explain it to the entire team."

"If you're going to hold yourself to fast-talking yourself into trouble, we all will take the burden," Megan said. "Or, at least those of us who want to or are chosen to. I gander one of them has her sights squarely on you, but the other two didn't look like poachers."

"I don't back down," Quintin said sharply. "If you guys are in, I am in."

"Look at it this way, it will be good exercise, and it might just go somewhere," Ikuno said with a wry smile.

"Very well." Quintin tapped his radio button. "Virtue, Quintin, in 90 minutes please inform the refugees from car 513 that we will be waiting for them in Car 598, and clear their return to the Train with the Armored Infantry."

"Acknowledged," Virtue answered immediately.

"Whelp, time to get ready," Curt said as he began removing his outer armor shell.

-x-

(120 minutes later)  
(Car 598 (Seat Car))

"Well, well, well," Quintin caught the first sign of the ladies as they entered the exterior doors to the seat car. "So, you are a man of your word, Quintin." the lady that had pressed him on the arrangement said as the three of them approached the metro benches where the team was splayed out.

They were not alone, as two Armored Infantrymen entered the car after the three 'refugees' arrived where the Rail Guards were seated. "Element Commander, we are the forward guard for the night," the lead trooper said. "Where do you want us stationed?"

"Car 600, open-air shower stalls," Megan said. "Much obliged, troopers."

The lead trooper came to attention, a loud and clattering sound given the mass of her armor. "It is a pleasure to stand sentry on the victors of the Slavers. Have a good evening, Rail Guards."

After the Armored Infantry stomped through the connecting causeway and into the next car, the three vixens looked back to the Rail Guards. "Okay, now that I've seen that, a Multimage Armored Infantryman showing deference to you troops, I've got a bit of a case of butterflies going on," the elven lady said.

"If you want to step down the challenge, I won't stop you," Quintin said.

"Like Hell," his possible-stalker said. "You did invade our room unbidden, you owe us a toll."

"Well, then, time to make sure you know the facts of the matter," Megan said as she stood up. The troops were not wearing their armor tunics or carrying their long arms, they were down to their pistol belts, drop-leg MOLLE platforms and shoulder harnesses, but still easily armed and dangerous. This made them less intimidating, but still showed these three were playing with serious tangos. "First, your names."

"Kitty of the Valkyrie," the younger of the three ladies said.

"Erica Coddie," the one attracted to Quintin said.

"Lacy," the Elven lady said.

"Okay, first thing's first, that bedroom wasn't yours. This whole Train belongs to Sigma. We are clearing it and we are scrapping it, and that is by order of the Executors. After being ordered to evacuate multiple times, you don't have a claim to bedroom invasion, we were enforcing those evac orders."

"Oh," Erica squeaked. With that much, she realized that the effective justification to her challenge was dead.

"Second, as Protectorate citizens we're not obligated to accept the arrangement, Freedom of Association being in play. That said, as a matter of honor, and because Quintin talked us into it, we do accept the request for arrangement. And depending on how tonight goes, he may be taking classes in language, negotiation, and fast-talking after this Train is done."

"Ah," all three lit up after the instant realization that while they weren't required the team was still going to accept it.

"Third, you didn't challenge Quintin, you challenged the Team 1 pointman for this Element, and by extension you challenged the whole unit. So, I hope you're up to the challenge, because we're in it to win it."

"Oh," all three grumped after they realized the enormity of their challenge, which had just bargained three of them into position against nine rather fit and intimidating troops.

"Alright, final offer to back out," Megan said. "Either bow out or make your picks."

"You do know what we intend, right?" Erica asked.

"Yes, you made that rather obvious when we kicked you off the Train," Megan said. "You want some bedtime action. Well, time to get some."

"Okay, I think I want to start with the guy that started it all," Erica said with a bit of a sly smile.

"I think I can work something out," Quintin said offhand.

"Your turn, Lacy. Name your game."

"Two or more, I'm flexible on most other things, but when we start, I don't want to stop for a couple hours," the elven lady said.

"That's a challenge," Carl said.

"Aye. Carl, Cedric, you're up. Tag-team her," Megan ordered. She acted like it was on-the-moment decisions, but the team had spent ten or fifteen minutes prior discussing how they wanted to handle the arrangement, making the assignment of personnel scripted based on contingencies.

"Aye aye, chief," Cedric said. Carl simply nodded.

"And that leaves Kitty," Megan prompted her.

"Might I ask for the hand of two of the ladies?" Kitty asked.

"That's an unusual request," Megan said, though she didn't consider it impossible. "Volunteers?"

"I will," Camille said, wanting to put her new conditioning to use.

"Not my style," Scarlet answered.

"I request to duck out, boss," Ikuno said.

"Huh. Well, team ops, that leaves me," she said. "Alright, break it down and get to it. Lounge is available in car 582 if you need a break, and the storage unit in 593 can draw supplies if you need anything. Showers in 600 after you're done. Remember, wake-up call is 0700 at the latest, so don't be at it all night… just most of it."

* * *

 **Author's Chapter Afterword** :

And then things get a bit personal for Team 1.

This chapter is a perfect example of how screwed things can get by way of random results generation. Not just in the whole '531' encounter and its follow-up, but everything from Sergeant Foley to the dead Russians to the divine level White Mage that would not let compromised Slavers go unhealed. As I stated prior, everything in the Train is procedurally generated and randomized, the only thing I have direct control over is the actions of the Team after a fashion, and even that is randomized to an extent. This makes writing such an enjoyable experience for myself, as I do not know what will happen from car to car.

The major meat of this chapter is the presence of Sergeant Foley, Corporal Dunn, and Private Ramirez. Now, anyone versed with Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 knows that these are three very hard shit-kickers that take their business pretty seriously, but also keep in mind that their pursuit of the Russians covers the entire territory of Chapters 2 and 3, so they have seen a lot of things that even hardened soldiers won't see in a warzone. And, on this you can trust me: things will get worse. Things will get far worse.

Also, another major point is the shift away from the policy of killing the Slavers wholesale. Now that capture dynamics are in play, the Magi will be taking a significant interest in the Slavers captured by Sigma and turned over to the Magi for intelligence and justice purposes. One thing not clearly shown in the stories so far is that the Slavers have a graduated ranking system, three ranks of Apprentice, three ranks of Journeyman, and three ranks of Master. None of the masters have thus far been seen by Sigma, all the thus-far slain or captured have been Apprentice or Journeyman, but senior Journeymen are exceedingly dangerous opponents, as they count as 'ace' Slavers with the best skills and equipment. A few aces have been battled and a at least one has been captured, but there are plenty more where they came from. The higher up in the ranks, the better the intelligence gathered from captures. And, as more are captured and a better intelligence playbook is assembled, the Magi will have some good fringe benefits to dole out for such a service to Existence itself.

Of minor points, there are a couple as well. I want to point out that most encounters you see, where there is interaction with the residents of the Train, a goodly portion of those encounters are with persons that will be joining Sigma's ranks in one fashion or another, whether it be an immediate sign-up or a delayed sign-up due to age or other factors. Other, more obvious encounters, such as the last Slaver engagement with the divine-level White Mage, will be more direct and effective recruitments over the short-term, especially in her case. Though a staunch noncombatant, Holly is going to be a very powerful addition to the upper echelons of Sigma — she says she was 'divine trained', but what the divinities in question failed to tell her is that she has been trained up into the realm of Lesser Goddesses, though without any divine specialties she has at least their power. Nereus, of course, will take a it of a liking to her as a trainee for White Magic and Support Magic pursuits.

The second minor point in this chapter is the use of the Funeral Pyre spell. By consuming the bodies and converting them to other useful resource, Sigma is both cutting down on body disposal requirements and converting them into something otherwise profitable. Though a lo5t of religions are going to frown on this method, it is not considered a crime by any of the major players and Sigma really does not have either the personnel or the resources to properly do the disposal.

Third, keep the 513 encounter and the last scene in mind. That will echo in coming chapters and start a trend throughout Sigma. One thing I wanted to do was get my database full up and running before i started tackling the relational aspect of the story, but it looks like as of this chapter I don't have the luxury of waiting.

That's all the major notes for the chapter. On the writing front, I have delved back into the MMC, see if I can crank out another chapter or two of that old story and maybe put Set 1 to bed this year, but that might be asking a bit much. I am still working on the full-up database component of Sigma, so I am sorta taking it slow on these stories while I hammer that out. It's not easy, building a database in a language I am unfamiliar with, so...

For anyone who wants to ask, no, I do not have motivation to continue Archangel's Amazing Adventures at this time. It is on hiatus until I rebuild my motivation. A lot of people don't quite realize that AAA was started as something of a gag story, see if I could logically mesh SEED and MKR. It took on a life of its own after that, even if I did not really intend much with it to begin with. That said, I will resume sooner or later, as soon as I find my heart again (and reread it for the umpteenth time).

That's all, folks! **NEXT UP** : Another day, another 200 cars. Except, things are really starting to get bad the farther into the Train one goes...

* * *

 **Review Replies** : Two reviews for Chapter 3. Thanks!

Holy Dragoon: A lot of that is still up for results, so not entirely sure yet. Stand by for further.

Hellhound D.O.W.: The Car 359 / 369 gag was deliberate on her part, given she was managing an effective brothel.

* * *

 **The Gripe Sheet** :

One error pointed out, though it was a deliberate turn of phrase in this case. Thanks to **Takeshi Yamato** , **Sieben Nightwing** , and **Necroblade** for keeping my prose straight.

* * *

 **Footnotes** :

(1): In honor of the Anime Production Company Gainax, the term **Gainaxing** refers to the act of focusing on a lady's breasts when some manner of movement or impact occurs that would cause them to bounce, often overplayed in the motion department. For a rather blatant example, Murrue Ramius (Gundam SEED, to a lesser degree in Gundam SEED Destiny) is subject to a stock footage scene of her gainaxing every time the ship takes a significant impact, meaning it is used repeatedly throughout the series. ALL HAIL FANSERVICE!

* * *

 **Included Works** :

— Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2: The ranger team from the American side of the campaign is included. You can bet they will play into some serious shit in coming chapters.


	5. Train 133628 Initial Clear Day 4

(Sigma Mercenaries, Story 0003: The Beautiful Nightmare Trains)  
(Chapter 05: Train 133628, Initial Clear Day 4)

(29 March, Magi Year 14408 / Year SL 8838, 0550 Hours Lima)  
(Train 133628, Car 0599, Railhead Undercroft, Base Boarhound, Terra 232)  
(Day 12 of Campaign)

The alarm on Quintin's tablet computer went off, which he had deliberately set the sound on the tablet to a klaxon alarm to force himself awake. Standard alarm buzzers and similar had nearly no effect on him.

"Hell is that?" The lady next to him in bed asked.

"My morning alarm," Quintin ran the connect-the-dots puzzle he set up on the tablet to allow him to disable the alarm, then shut it off. "Zero-Six-Hundred is here, time to assault the day!"

"Is that a threat or a promise?" Erica asked as she stirred herself more awake than she had been.

"Depends on what your hindsight thinks about last night," Quintin said as he sat up in bed and made to stand up.

Erica propped herself up on one elbow to look at him. "Well, my hindsight approves of last night, even if I am incredibly sore, so I'm thinking it might not be a bad thing to go a bit deeper on this thing we've got going," she said thoughtfully. "What do you think?"

Quintin stopped partway into getting mildly dressed up for his hike down to the showers. "I think I like that thought," he admitted. "I think I like the thought of coming home to someone. Question is, are you willing to hang around for someone to come home to you?"

"I'm too much of an adventurer to stay at home as a day-job, so I was thinking about joining up. Maybe you and I could share quarters?"

"Works for me, we could do one of the BEQ (1) houses," Quintin said. "I'm not a good cook, though."

"I do some," Erica said. "You headed to the showers?" she asked.

"Yeah, we always clean up before breakfast and morning muster briefing," the team pointman explained as he hefted his armor hauberk and weapon.

"Hold on, I'll join you," Erica climbed out of bed quickly, threw on her bra, panties, and shorts quickly, then snatched up what little remained of her personal effects.

"Come on, we've got a hike back to 589, gender-split rooms in there," Quintin explained as he turned toward the rear of the Train.

"So, why'd you start this? This isn't a small train, and it's got an absolute fuck-ton of slavers," the lady he had slept with asked.

"I'm in it to clean 'em out, all of them, or as many as we can do before we retire," Quintin explained. "It's damn good work and it is supposed to pay well, and I want to do it, so I lead the team in. I also didn't think I would find a hot and sexy girlfriend in here, but hell yeah," he explained.

"Ahp, I wouldn't call myself a girlfriend, not yet," Quintin could tell she nudged him in the back. "More like an acquaintance with benefits. That said, you're already a leg and both balls up on the past few, you are a hell of a lot nicer than the last couple that tried to get some time with me."

"Well, it's a start," Quintin said.

-x-

(Car 589, already cleared, Baths (Gender Split))

The gender-split bathrooms were something of a communal shower room intended for use on only one side of the gender gap. That said, since Quintin and his newfound 'beneficial acquaintance' were the only persons for five cars in either direction, cheating the gender split was a workable (if not necessarily proper) plan to them.

"I always make sure I pack a basic clean-up kit and a new uniform in my bag. Weighs in a bit extra, but it's perfectly handy for this kinda thing," he admitted after Erica took a bit of interest in what he was fishing out of his backpack.

"Never thought about that, I always thought warfighters carried mostly guns and ammo and stuff like that," she said.

"Oh, by weight and pieces, yes, most of my kit is combat gear," Quintin held out his armor hauberk to her to try to lift.

Erica took the challenge, and was only barely able to remain balanced. "Jeez! That is heavy! And you wear that all day?"

"Yeah, all day, every day," Quintin said. "At least every day I am on duty. I intend to cut loose when I'm not working," he went on at length while undressing.

The shower was turned on behind him, and Quintin spared a glance to see what was going on. Erica had already stripped down and fired up her shower, so Quintin finished his stripping and joined her at the shower pole. Each side of a gender-split shower room had six shower poles with four heads on each, and these were good high-output shower heads. The gear would fetch a decent price on resale, Quintin knew, and equipment resale would still net a cut of profits for the Rail Guard teams.

Across from him stood showering the lady he had inadvertently agreed to sleep with last night. In hindsight, it wasn't a particularly smart art of speaking to assent to a demand to sleep with their group, but through a combination of team spirit, honor of conduct, and a little bit of mercy on her part, the fling had been pared down from a 3-on-1 to a singles night. And it had been a good night, the pointman for Team 1 silently admitted to himself. Good enough, apparently, that Erica was willing to hang around, maybe even take their relationship further?

"So, we're on for tonight I guess?" Quintin asked.

"Unless you've got other plans, big guy?" Erica asked. She wasn't referring to his size or his rank, given that Quintin was not an officer and she was roughly the same height as the pointman, so her apropos had to be referring to something else that Quintin didn't yet know.

"Not to my knowledge," he concluded. "It'll be another layover in a sleeper car, of course. We have another three or four days of work ahead of us."

"Good to me. Will four days be enough to secure a house around here?" She asked. Quintin deliberately tried to keep his mind off her body, since he didn't want to wear himself out before his shift.

"Probably have it done today," he answered. "I don't think you'd need more than just request a BEQ for two people and that's it."

"That simple? Perfect!" She did a small bunny-hop, which caused a lot of bounce. Erica wasn't thin by most supermodel standards, and it showed when she cut loose. It also didn't take her long to realize she had his attention. "You know, they say it's better in the shower," she prompted him.

"Okay, last night I get, I fast talked the team into that one, but — "

" — I'm hanging around because three reasons. One, you're trying to help people, and that includes me, and that's cool. Two, you're actually nice to me, which is a major improvement over most of the residents on this Train. Three, that was a helluva lot more athletic than the past several guys."

"There's more than that, I can tell," Quintin could actually easily tell, she was nibbling at her lower lip in an attempt to restrain herself.

In confirmation: "Oh, yes, there's more, but you're going to have to earn it, hot shot."

"Challenging me? Really," Quintin hedged his position. "I think this is getting interesting, saucy lady. We might need to discuss this further…" he played the indirect sarcastic 'yes' answer.

Erica shut off her shower. "Give me a call when you've completed today's run, we'll talk some more," she said as she headed for the bench where she had her clothes.

-x-x-x-

(29 March, Magi Year 14408 / Year SL 8838, 0700 Hours Lima)  
(METARgraphic training room, basement level 2, administration building, Base Boarhound, Terra 232)  
(Day 12 of Campaign)

Ikuno reassembled the silencer for her rifle by way of inserting the baffle assembly into the canister until the locking lug passed by the retainer, then twisted the baffle a quarter-turn to the left to secure it in place. The end of the silencer was a threaded screw cap, nothing particularly difficult to work with, and she screwed that down into place in a mere second. The completed silencer assembly went onto the threads of her M25 (White Feather) Designated Marksman's Rifle, and with it her primary weapon was now ready for battle.

"Another day, another sweep-march through Hell," Megan Christenson said from behind the team 1 designated markswoman.

"Another day, another slaver hunt. The march through Hell is nothing troubling to me," Ikuno said with a smile for her unit leader. "I see you still have the MP43?"

"This is the prototype model for the _Sturmgewehr_ , the first mass-production assault rifle that showed up at the end of World War 2. I like it, actually, but you're right, I can do way better," Megan admitted.

"So do better, ma'am," Ikuno nudged Megan toward the ScrapNet Interface. "There are no points in this game for cheesing or using inferior or obsolete equipment. You only get points if you win! And a paycheck," the DM chided her CO.

"Now that is surprisingly wise. Are you sure you're only 20?" Megan asked.

"I feel older," Ikuno said wistfully.

"What do I want to carry in?" Megan asked, looking through the inventory in the system. "Do we want another assault rifle or a light machine gun?"

"Can you carry a light machine gun all day?" Ikuno asked in counter.

"Good point. Maybe an ACR?"

"It's what the Secret Service is using," Harold said as he approached the CO and the DM. Megan quickly noticed he did not have his usual Henry Repeating Rifle. "We do need a light machine gun or a general purpose machine gun, but I'm too small to carry one in, so I'm going to do a battle rifle."

"Sold," Megan acknowledged the point. She removed her UMP40 magazine shingle pouches, the magazines, the ammo, and the UMP40 itself and turned them into the storage system. In response, she extracted two AR magazine pair shingles, an 8-in-line magazine pouch, twelve STANAG magazines for the ACR, and the necessary 390 rounds for the rifle. The rifle itself was a shade heavier than the UMP 40, but proper sling-work solved that problem readily and redistributed the weight for her.

"Here's a decent rifle, the Springfield SOCOM II," Harold said as he was browsing through the inventory after Megan was done. His process was the same as Megan's for swapping out, strip down his gear for the SMG, rebuild it for the new rifle, but in his case he only put on a single 8-in-line for the 20-round M14 / SOCOM II magazines, and consequently only needed 180 rounds (160 for spares plus 20 in the rifle). To his rifle he added a simple holographic weapon sight, and once assembled he took a couple boxes of ammunition over to the range area to sight it in.

"So, if I may ask, where did you pick up your skill behind the rifle?" Megan asked Ikuno as she was loading up her magazines for the coming run through Hell.

"Father was a Yakuza assassin. He taught me how to do rifle and automatic weps, and I joined up a couple years before I landed on the Train. I won't say how many missions I went on for the Yakuza cell I was in, but it was a fairly good number."

"Want to go back into that?" Pete asked adroitly as he began reloading his partial magazines from the day prior.

"Want? Definitely not," Ikuno replied with an edge to voice. "Will I have a choice? Probably not, when you enter the Yakuza, you are usually in for life."

"So we kill 'em all and count the bodies, as my father used to say," Megan Christenson recommended. "If they come looking, I mean. I'm not one to borrow trouble."

"If they hear my name, they will come looking," Ikuno said. "If ComStar sets up on my home world, and we end up in the ComStar News, they could learn about it."

"If they come looking, we deal with them," Quintin said as he approached the counter where most of the team was loading magazines and verifying grenades or flashbangs. "If they don't, welcome to a new life."

"Welcome to a new family," Camille said as she raised a magazine in salute to Ikuno.

"And welcome to a new world," Megan said to complete the thought. "Now, we have about half a train's worth of people that still need to be liberated and brought out to join the new world. Guns, gear, gumption, everyone make sure you're ready for another round. If we make it to 800 today, we're doing damn good."

-x-x-x-

(29 March, Magi Year 14408 / Year SL 8838, 0755 Hours Lima)  
(Train Car 0817, Base Boarhound, Terra 232)  
(Day 12 of Campaign)

A week on the Train had enlightened Athrun Zala to things of human nature that he did not believe still existed in the civilized world.

The specific artifice that had landed him on this Train — and a goodly portion of the crew of the ZAFT warship _Minerva_ — was pure deception. While chasing the new Earth Alliance Special Operations warship that had struck the ZAFT military outpost Armory One, the _Minerva_ caught wind of a distress signal not far from their chase route. Chairman Durandal had authorized the termination of the chase to follow maritime law and respond to the signal. Zala had gone over everything he remembered from those minutes as they approached the ship, but the only thing he remembered from the approach was the sight of a small freighter of some kind — their cloaking and holographic systems were sufficient that even the _Minerva_ 's sensors were fooled.

The surprise factor was as hideous as it was total. When the _Minerva_ approached within 200 kilometers, the Slavers turned off their stealth systems, and with it was revealed the true leviathan — a warship twice longer and 130 percent heavier than the _Minerva_. At that range, there was no escape for the much smaller ZAFT ship. The weapon array on the ship was even more so horrible than Athrun imagined possible: just the nose alone of the _Privateer_ -class Slaver Ship carried more capital-scale firepower than the entire _Minerva_. To make things worse, the combat was along the port broadside of the enemy ship, exposing them to fire from the entire port side of the ship — and the _Privateer_ gunners seldom missed more than two shots in a row. Compared to ZAFT's admittedly uneven gunnery overall, and a greenhorn ship crew in particular, it did not take the Slavers more than a full five minutes to cripple their prey.

Mobile Suits were a foregone conclusion. Rey, Shinn, and Luna had launched, but against the three carrier strike wings of Aerofighters on the enemy ship, there was no hope. Shinn's Gundam was shredded to shrapnel in the first minute of fighting, what Athrun later learned was a Kirghiz Omnifighter had put paid to ZAFT's newest machine and probably one of the nation's best pilots. Luna fell next, though she survived the tag-team that had tried her. Rey held out the longest, but not long enough to account for more than one enemy light aerofighter. The white ZAKU had drifted close into the defensive gun radius of the enemy ship, and with it his Mobile Suit had been disassembled by Pulse Lasers and long-range missiles, staples for anti-fighter defense.

Talia's final act of defiance was to launch an emergency beacon toward Armory One with positional information and the combat recorder footage from the ship. It wasn't needed; the Pirates had no interest in the ship itself and no way to transport it, the _Minerva_ crew found out ex post facto. The _Minerva_ was left drifting not far from the debris belt, otherwise intact once it had been stripped of provisions, usable munitions, and most importantly to the Pirates / Slavers, the crew. No doubt ZAFT would already have recovered the ship, and the myriad bodies from the boarding. Of the ship's crew, less than half survived the Slaver Marines and the horrid Battle Armor troops.

"That glass-eyed look again," Meyrin commented.

"I know," Athrun said softly. "I can't get it out of my head."

Meyrin sighed. "I know. Seeing the Chairman, the Chief Representative, I can't forget it," she sighed.

"We can't go out like this," Athrun said. "We need to think of something."

Athrun Zala leaned back against the window next to him, which had been welded shut to ensure the captives could not get out — A lot of the doors on the Train had been welded as well, at least here in the middle, preventing easy escape. And, for some reason, they could not see out of the otherwise perfectly good windows, everything beyond the glass was a blur, almost like a motion blur or optical distortion blur? Or a heavy tinting and prismatic window glass?

Having his head against the window was critical for his hope, as he heard the sound of marching, chanting troops on the outside of the Train. It was definitely a 'Jodie' chant of trainees, but he easily recognized it from his abbreviated Basic classes in ZAFT Redcoat Training. As that was moving by, he could hear the sound of diesel engines move by, at least two of them, and that alone told him plenty.

When you are a prisoner and stuck in a veritable cell, rumors and circumstantial evidence begins adding up. First, the light patterns after each Train Jump always changed: every new land they landed on looked different, even if it was all a motion blur to the persons inside this impossible Train. That had ended abruptly, briefly, when the area around the Train came visible, though the tinting or obfuscation on the windows rendered it nearly impossible to see anything more than bare shapes around the Train. Second, now he was hearing soldiers and vehicles outside the Trains, and more than once over the intervening days he could have sworn he had heard heavy equipment thunder by — it would be very doubtful that the Slavers would have need for construction equipment on a routine basis, if mobility was supposed to be their best defense?

Third, and most critical of all, Athrun thought he had overheard one of the Slavers discussing with another Slaver some kind of rumor about a military team clearing the Train? He didn't catch the specifics, but he could easily hear the fear in their voices: whoever this oncoming team was, they were apparently entirely undefeated on their march so far, and that was bad news for the Slavers.

Athrun didn't want to gamble on sitting around, so he began working on some kind of a plan to get loose and maybe hook up with this oncoming military team? After a few minutes of thinking about it, the plan that came to mind centered around the near-perpetual diarrhea that one of the Slaver guards was suffering. Maybe a case of irritable bowel syndrome? If she ducked into the shitter at the same time the other Guard was parallel to or close to where Athrun was, he could possibly jump the one guard and make a move on the other?

It was a gamble, but not an impossible one. Anything beat the hell out of doing nothing, he figured.

-x-x-x-

Car 0601 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (0802) (Evacuated 16 civilians, 13 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0602 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (0804)  
Car 0603 (House Car (2 Level)) (0806) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0604 (Dining Car) (0808)  
Car 0605 (Seats, 2 Level) (0810) (Evacuated 10 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0606 (Seats, 2 Level) (0812)  
Car 0607 (Seats, 2 Level) (0814) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 2 recruits, 14 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0608 (Seats, 2 Level) (0816) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 9 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0609 (Seats, 1 Level) (0818) (Evacuated 14 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0610 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (0820) (Evacuated 17 civilians, 4 recruits, 6 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)

Pete led the way forward into the first sleeper car of this cycle, and he immediately stepped into something a lot more chaotic than he expected. From what he could initially gather, it was some kind of fist-fight or similar?

"YO! WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN' ON HERE?" Pete shouted over the general bedlam in the corridor.

"Oi, step off, dickhead! This is our bust!" A teen lady wearing body armor and carrying a shotgun said.

"Your bust? What the fuck?" Harold asked after he stacked up behind Pete.

"You heard me, this punk refused to — urk," she cut her sentence when Pete pulled a flashbang out of one of his grenade pouches. "Are you — shit," she choked when Pete pulled the pin out of the flashbang, even if those behind him could tell he had not removed the safety clip and thus it would not be armed even if he dropped it.

"As of right now, this little bugger is nobody's friend," he waved the business end of the flashbang at her. "Now, you have ten seconds to give me a straight-up answer, before I drop it and take you down while your brain tries to un-fuck itself."

"Okay, mister, you've got our attention," one of the younger Charlies said from the far side of the now-stifled melee.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Pete asked.

"This brat refused to pay toll for going through here, so she's facing off against one of us for the right to pass through," the same Charlie explained. Pete guessed her age at or around ten, but the more frightening part was how easily she held the Colt Delta in her right hand.

"Fucking Toll Road extortion," Cedric said from behind Harold.

A couple of the Charlies sighed in clear relief when Pete put the pin back in the Flashbang. "You, boy, fight's over on my authority. Step off and get your gear together."

"Whoa, mister, this isn't your bust. You're in our car, you play by our rules," the teen lady with the body armor said. "Otherwise, we're going to ruin your day."

"No you're not," Pete said as he slipped the flashbang back in the pouch he initially pulled it from. "What you are going to do right now is listen to me, and you will follow everything I am going to tell you to the letter, or someone is going to kill you for gross malfeasance. Probably not me, but someone." He deliberately overstated the matter by an order of magnitude, and he could tell that it already had the effect he wanted. "You six Charlies, you will gather up your gear, you will exit the Train quietly, and you will register at the Refugee center the exact same as everyone else on this Train."

"Why the hell would — "

" — I am not done, dumbass, hold your tongue," Pete ordered. Not willing to gamble, the Charlie silenced herself quickly. "The extortion is done. The highway robbery is done. The bullshit street gang is done. You shit-apes are not the most lethal beings in this car, and I can prove it if you want me to."

"So what? We go clean?" the Teen asked.

"No, you turn your street gang skills into professional skills. You turn your criminal skills into weapons of honor. You turn yourselves into proper soldiers, and you will know an organization, a brotherhood, far beyond any other. And you will do this not only because I told you, but because there is no road for criminals in this new world, and there is no remaining on this Train. Your future is one road, but that road no longer drives through the dark side. Do you read me?" Pete asked, trying out some lingo he had picked up from some of the Magi for effect.

"Yes sir," one of them said, but Pete couldn't tell which one offhand.

"Good. Any questions?" he asked. Nobody piped up. "Get your gear together and exit the Train. Do it now, do it quickly," he concluded the orders.

Pete had no way of knowing that his very blunt and oddly motivational speech had turned the course of six ne'er-do-well into something more productive.

Car 0611 (Baths, Gender-Split) (0824)  
Car 0612 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (0826) (Evacuated 17 civilians, 2 recruits, 3 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0613 (Baths, Gender-Split) (0828)  
Car 0614 (House, 2 Level) (0830) (Evacuated 4 civilians, 6 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0615 (Lounge Car) (0832) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 12 Charlie Mafiosi) (+2min Negotiation)  
Car 0616 (Seats, 2 Level) (0836)  
Car 0617 (Seats, 2 Level) (0838) (Evacuated 2 recruits, 12 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0618 (Seats, 2 Level) (0840) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 0619 (Seats, Level) (0842)  
Car 0620 (Seats, 2 Level) (0844)  
Car 0621 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (0846) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0622 (Baths, Gender-Split) (0848) (Evacuated 6 civilians)  
Car 0623 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (0850)  
Car 0624 (Baths, individual rooms (14)) (0852)  
Car 0625 (House, 2 level) (0854) (Evacuated 9 civilians, 2 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0626 (Dining Car) (0856) (Evacuated 29 civilians, 7 recruitables, 10 Charlie Mafiosi as recruitables)  
Car 0627 (Seats, 2 Level) (0858)  
Car 0628 (Seats, 2 Level) (0900)  
Car 0629 (Seats, 1 Level) (0902)  
Car 0630 (Seats, 2 Level) (0904) (Evacuated 2 recruits, 2 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0631 (Seats, 2 Level) (0906)  
Car 0632 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (0908) (Evacuated 11 civilians, 6 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0633 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (0910) (Evacuated 5 civilians, 2 recruits) (+2min negotiations)  
Car 0634 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (0914) (Evacuated 9 civilians)  
Car 0635 (Baths, Gender-Split) (0916)  
Car 0636 (House, 1 level) (0918) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0637 (Lounge) (0920)  
Car 0638 (Seats, 2 Level) (0922) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0639 (Seats, 2 Level) (0924) (Evacuated 5 recruits)  
Car 0640 (Seats, 2 Level) (0926) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0641 (Seats, 1 Level) (0928)  
Car 0642 (Seats, 2 Level) (0930)

The second door into the 642 car started opening a moment before the first gunshots. That the rounds hit the door (which was still opening) was either a sign of a good marksman on the far side of the door, or they were close. Given the noise made by the gun was minimal, Pete guessed a small-caliber weapon in close or about the middle of the car at the most.

"Someone doesn't like us," Cedric grumped a moment before a shotgun blast passed through the now-open door.

"I would have had trouble guessing that," Camille snarked.

Another shotgun blast passed through the doorway. "Bang 'em and make entry," Megan ordered.

"Aye aye, boss," Pete pulled the same flashbang he had threatened the prior group of Charlies with and pulled the pin again. This time he made sure he had a good solid hold on the spoon, then stripped off the safety clip and side-arm chucked it around the corner into the next room. A bare second later, the flashbang popped and stunned everyone inside the room.

"Go go!" Pete threw himself into the doorway and immediately went right after he cleared it.

Cedric was second through the door, and that brief moment of respite was ample to allow him to recover and prepare to begin the engagement of the enemy. His first pair of rounds were high, but the second burst landed three rounds on the Charlie with the smoking shotgun.

Harold and Camille entered last for the second element, though not unharassed. One of the shooters took several panic shots in the direction of the team, but failed to come anywhere near striking the Rail Guard troops in three shots. Harold put an end to the blind fire with one well-placed shot to the upper chest, permanently downing the punk. In response to Harold's shot, the Charlie next to his first target racked the slide on her own shotgun, but before she could bring it down to present a shot Harold dropped her with another chest shot.

The last foe on the left side of the car tried to heft a fairly large revolver into position to fire on the team, but Cedric got on target first and loosed a burst into the Charlie Mafiosi. The Charlie was smart enough to keep most of his body behind the seat, but his exposed head was enough of a target for Cedric to put a 40-caliber hollow point in his forehead and end the threat.

The cell leader took a more indirect approach, he ducked down low to cover behind the seat entirely and only exposed himself partially to take two shots with an old 38 special revolver. His first shot missed, his second shot clipped Camille in the exposed left leg. She collapsed backwards with a screech for the suddenly very painful left leg injury. "I'm hit! 2-4 is hit!" Camille reported by radio after she regained some of her control.

"How bad?" Megan asked.

"Leg injury, bleeding pretty good," she immediately put pressure against it.

"Moving forward now," Ikuno reported as she entered the car and moved forward of Camille's spot to take a covering position over her. The Charlie that had downed Camille also tried his luck against Ikuno, but his missed shot was all the indication she needed to find him and put a round through his left eye. "One down," she reported after his revolver clattered to the aisle floor.

The two remaining Charlie Mafiosi tried to conduct a synchronized attack, but when they came up to fire over the seat edges, they had four weapons waiting for them, and all four engaged in a matter of a second. The male charlie was clinically dead before his body finished slumping down to the seat bottom, but the female Charlie would take a few seconds more.

"Make way! Medic coming through!" Carl said as he pushed forward and past Megan. "Through and through shot, missed the bone looks like," he guessed.

"Hurts like hell," Camille said.

"Hold on," Curt quickly chanted through his most-powerful healing spell, which was overkill for such a wound but did the job very quickly. "You'll still sting for a few minutes, but the trauma is healed."

"What happened?" Megan asked.

"Leg must have been too far out into the aisle," Camille guessed as Harold helped her to standing. "Oh man, that's tender," she had to brace against the seat to ensure she didn't simply collapse into the injury again.

"It will be," Curt acknowledged.

"All right, people, time to clear the bodies and prepare for our next moves. Take a few while Cedric deals with the deceased."

Car 0643 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (0939)  
Car 0644 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (0941)  
Car 0645 ( _Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)_ ) (0943) (Evacuated 12 civilians)  
Car 0646 (Baths, Gender-Split) (0945) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0647 (House Car, 2 level) (0947) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 0648 (Storage Interface Car) (0949)  
Car 0649 (Seats, 2 Level) (0951) (Evacuated 9 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0650 (Seats, 1 Level) (0953) (Evacuated 5 Charlie Mafiosi)

-x-x-x-

Timing was the critical factor. Athrun was reasonably sure he could take one of them down, but if he had to deal with both, he doubted his chances of survival.

The chance came for him all in a hurry — as the 'healthy' Slaver started up the aisle toward the front of the car, having completed another circuit of the seats, the 'unhealthy' Slaver ducked into the bathroom again and was clearly heard to sit down for another round of very noisy defecation. Athrun figured he had roughly five minutes to do the deed and silence them both before the other Slaver recovered and could enter the fray.

Athrun bided his time with the same bored look on his face as he had since starting this adventure in captivity, but his eyes didn't miss anything about the Slaver coming his way. She had no tension at all — this was another group of cowed Slaves to be sold off for profit and glory to her. She carried her shotgun at low ready but he noticed the chamber load indicator signalled she did not have a round at the ready. She had a knife on her left hip, a combat knife, but Athrun had no expectation that she was versed in using it. To trained eyes, she was a much softer target than she looked to most.

The fact that the seat across from him was unoccupied worked to his advantage. As she came parallel to where he was sitting, Athrun sighed lightly to release some of the tension he was feeling, not enough to get her attention, and as she passed by him the former ZAFT redcoat sprang into action. Zala vaulted from his seat in a low crouch and shoulder-rammed the guard into the opposite wall and seats. That much of his plan worked. As he closed in on her, she pumped the slide on the shotgun and tried to take a leg out from under her sudden attacker, but the nine pellets of buckshot mercifully passed between his knees with only a half-inch to spare from his left kneecap.

Athrun pressed his attack against her by ramming her head as hard as possible into the metro seat, and did a couple more strikes for good measure. Unbeknownst to him, that first hit condemned her to eventual death by way of a depressed skull fracture, but Athrun intended to stop her long before that could set in. Zala drove his right knee into her tailbone to prevent her trying to rotate around on him, then drew her combat knife — an old Ka-Bar fighting knife, he was surprised to see — and drove it into the center of her back between her shoulder blades. Effectively the fight was over at this point, but he used the knife to cut her throat just to be sure; as one of his combat instructors had sagely trained him years ago, a commensurate soldier never left a threat alive behind them.

"Holy shit, Athrun!" Meyrin gaped at the butchery her teammate had made of the Slaver.

"Not over yet," Athrun reached around the Slaver's right side and drew the Beretta 92FS out of her waistband, then racked the slide to make sure it was armed. With pistol in hand, he started jogging down the aisle toward the bathroom where the other Slaver was likely still on the can.

"Leese, everything all right?" Athrun heard from inside the bathroom. He gave no answer, the ORB security officer and Pilot simply raised the pistol to aimpoint, gauged where her chest would be while sitting on the can, and fired six rounds. He would never know that the Slaver had set her radio on VOX at the first gunshot, and the six shots, followed by her death rattle and eventual slump off the shitter, were heard by the Slavers still alive throughout the Train.

"Slaves on me! We're getting off this Train!" Athrun shouted after he stepped away from the bathroom.

"HELL YES SIR!" two ZAFT mechanics shouted.

"Either of you two know how to shoot?" Athrun asked the two ZAFT troops.

"I qualified expert on pistol and rifle," the Warrant Officer amongst the two answered.

"Grab the rifle and pistol from the dead one in the latrine," he said. "Meyrin!"

"Athrun, thanks!" she said with some more cheer to voice.

"Here," he safed the pistol and handed it to her. "I'll use this Slaver's shotgun." He had to clean some blood off the receiver, but the Slaver had a scarf around her waist that was perfect for it.

"Where do we go?" A civilian hostage asked Athrun.

"Rear of the Train, we'll try to find a working exit somewhere and get off this wagon," Athrun waved them toward the caboose end. He figured (not incorrectly) that any kind of military force trying to clear the Train would start at the rear and work their way forward.

-x-x-x-

Car 0651 (Seats, 2 Level) (0955)

"What the fresh fuck? Two of our guys were just offed by the detainees! How the hell did that happen?" Quintin heard from the far side of the car from the entry point. Six persons were clustered around a radio set, listening to something from elsewhere in the Train and facing away from the entry team. It was the perfect confluence of circumstances to enter stealthily and set up a firing line to force a surrender.

"We need to go chase their asses down and strangle them with their own intestines!" a particularly large lady suggested.

"They're coming back through the Train, that means they'll eventually end up here," an older guys said. "We wait for them, we set an ambush, we ram-fuck them when they come through, we cut their throats, and we throw them overboard."

Megan waved for Team 2 to move up but to keep it stealthy.

"I vote we hunt them down, boss, sorry," the large lady spoke against the prevailing wisdom.

"Okay, we're all professional Slavers, and I want this done right. All in favor of hunting them, show of hands." Two raised their hands. "All in favor of laying in a pisser of an ambush, raise your hands," he concluded.

"Are we allowed to join an ambush?" Quintin asked from the far side of the car.

"Huh?" the Slaver looked back over his shoulder. "Oh. Fuck me sideways."

"Jesus, two sniper rifles, a grenade launcher, an infantry laser, assorted sub-guns, military gear, these guys are no-shit OpFor," a small guy said.

"How do you want this to end?" Megan asked from the far side of her iron sights.

"We surrender, we're not suicidal," the guy who had conducted the voting declared.

"All six of you, hands on top of your heads." The Slavers complied with Megan's order readily enough. "You, baldy, step into the aisle, face the front of the car, walk backwards slowly toward us. I will tell you when to stop." The leader complied with the orders readily. "Keep coming, keep coming, stop," Megan demanded. "Down to your knees, cross your ankles."

"Are you going to execute me?" he asked, suddenly a bit wary.

"If I wanted you dead, I would have ordered Scarlet to fire a high-explosive grenade into your group. No expectation of survival from a hit like that," Megan pointed out. "Harold, disarm and render secure."

"Do nothing rash, Slavers. Remember, the Star League protects its own," the Slaver Leader said calmly, even as Harold stripped him of weapons and cuffed his hands behind him with steel handcuffs. Once completed, Harold picked him up and set him down on one of the metroliner seats.

"Next tango, small lady, enter the corridor and face forward, then start slowly walking backwards towards my voice. Now step back toward my voice, back, back, back, stop," Megan ordered. "Down to your knees, cross your ankles."

"This is absurd! You know you can't hold us!" she half-wailed.

"If only you knew," Harold said as he closed up on her to disarm and secure. Within thirty seconds, he had her cuffed and up to the seat.

"Third tango, young guy with the Dragunov across your back, out into the aisle and face the front of the Train. Step backwards towards my voice, back, back, back, back, stop. On your knees, cross your ankles." Harold moved in quickly and stripped him of his weapons easily enough. Cuffing him was a bit more of a challenge given his age, but he figured he had an appropriate hold on the guy before he dumped him on the seat.

"Fourth tango, large lady, out into the aisle and face forward," Megan ordered. "I said face forward!" Megan half-shouted at her when she squared up to the team.

"I think I like this view," she shrugged her shirt off her shoulders, which revealed her push-up bra. "Don't you like it?"

As she reached down for her bra straps, the remaining Slaver on the right side of the car made the mistake of moving before the 'distraction' was in full play, and his hand went for a cross-draw holster built into his load-bearing equipment vest. Ikuno already had her rifle on his forehead, and when he started to reach for a weapon she dropped the hammer on the foolish Slaver. A single shot from her suppressed M25 DMR dropped him immediately in a heap, as the 168-grain open-tip match sniper round she used simply punched through his brain and shredded the all-important cerebral cortex, rendering him completely unable to control any part of his body. The suppressor simply reduced the volume of the shot from deafening and painful to 'tolerable' and not-so-deafening, which meant that the rest of the Slavers clearly heard his body hit the ground.

"You! Keep your hands up!" Megan shouted at the lady, who was frightened by the raw display of marksmanship to the point of visibly pissing her pants. The other remaining guy took the order as his cue to keep his hands up just the same. "And you, wench, keep your damn bra on! Every one of us either is stacked better, or has played with better in recent memory," she partially lied to defuse the situation.

"Or both," Camille pointed out.

"True," Megan admitted, given that 'both' applied to both herself and Camille. "Now, wench, face the rear of the car and walk back towards me without losing any more of your clothing, clear?"

"Yeah, yeah," the lady gave no further trouble to the team.

"Last surviving tango, out into the aisle, face the front, walk backwards towards me. Do it now, do it safely. Come back, come back, come back, stop. On your knees, hands in the air, cross your ankles. No stupid shit or you will be shot."

"Sights are hot," Quintin said to reinforce the point. With several rifles aimed at him, the final Slaver was smart enough to make no trouble as he was disarmed and secured.

"Okay, what's the word about an ambush?" Harold asked the captured Slavers.

"We were going to kill those punks that freed themselves and killed two of our team," the Slaver lead said. "I guess we'll just have to enslave you after the Star League has us released."

"They really don't know, do they, chief?" Quintin asked Megan.

"Guess nobody copied them in on the memo," Megan shrugged.

"What memo? The hell are you talking?" the young (13? Maybe 14?) Slaver asked.

"The Protectorate of Sigma is under Contract to eliminate the Slaver Guild and all associated parties. The contract is signed by Master Executor Eric Atrebas. By Contract Law, I could summarily execute all five of you where you sit and be perfectly within legal bounds." That all six of them were showing their tattoos, had admitted to being Slavers in earshot to the team, and were discussing war crimes when they were ambushed was sufficient evidence for the purposes of the Contract.

"The Executors have put a hit out on us? Good Gods!" the large lady gaped.

"Here's the thing, though," Megan said. "I could execute you, but I don't think I will. See, the Multimage Star Empire wants in on this action just as much as we do, and they're offering fine cut for actionable intel, all we have to do is cough up living Slavers. So, as much satisfaction as I get drilling you shitheads, I think a different plan is in order." Megan tripped her radio switch. "Garrison, Rail Guard Team 2, show five captured Slavers and one deceased in car 651, extraction needed at this time. How copy?"

"Good copy Rail Guard, I have Infantry on the way to recover. Hold position until exchange."

Curiously, when the Armored Infantry tried to enter the car to do the collection, they found the exterior doors had been welded in a couple spots. It was easy for them to simply shear the welds and pull the door open.

Car 0652 (Seats, 2 Level) (1005)  
Car 0653 (Seats, 2 Level) (1007)  
Car 0654 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1009) (Evacuated 9 civilians, 15 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0655 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1011) (Evacuated 3 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0656 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1013) (Evacuated 12 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0657 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1015) (Evacuated 2 civilians, 1 recruit)  
Car 0658 (House Car) (1017) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 2 recruitables)

Harold led the way into the next car as was his duty, being the team pointman, though he often traded entries with Pete to take a bit of a breather from the most stressful part of the job. The other Elven denizen in second element didn't mind, all else being equal.

In the case of this car, Pete was very thankful that Harold had taken the entry for this car, this was one of those scenarios that Pete wasn't sure if he was disciplined enough to stay off the trigger.

" _Kyaa_!" a voice shouted from the far side of the door. "Who are you? What are you doing in here?"

"We're Sigma Mercenaries, we're clearing the Train," Harold said.

The phrase 'clearing the Train' caused the ears on the somewhat small Tiger to stand up, and shortly thereafter to rouse completely. "I was unaware any party could stop these Trains legally. Who do you serve?"

"The contract is from Master Executor Eric Atrebas, if that's what you mean," Camille guessed.

Her guess turned out to be the right one. "That is a bit unexpected. I was unaware that there was any anger over converting these old Trains into monuments."

"Oh, no way, The Executors have been trying to can the Trains for over three thousand years," Pete said as he entered the room, now sufficiently steeled of heart to not panic.

"Star League has not been listening, so Atrebas contracted us to do the job." Cedric took a moment after his part of the explanation to have a drink out of his water bladder. "We came off another Train, we know what it's like. We're glad to do this one."

"It is a relief to know this nightmare may be coming to an end," The tigress stood up and arched her back to stretch. "What do you require of us, soldiers?"

"Head out and forward along the Train. The Armored Infantry will point you to the Refugee center and get you set up."

"It shall be done." The tigress turned to the lady that had been sitting in the chair next to her and said something in a non-English language. After a moment, the lady gave a response in the same language. "We will join the Refugees. May the Gods be with your effort to rescue."

The Entry team watched as the two headed back toward the rear of the Train and the open doors back along the way. It had quickly become obvious the Slavers had shoddily welded the doors closed to render escape difficult or boarding near-impossible, but their defensive calculus was not showing proper signs of fortifying against an attack from inside the Train. After all, the ready assumption on the Slaver's part would be that they have control of the Train, so why fear an attack from it?

-x-

Of course, there were two vectors of attack from inside the Train: a concerted force (the rail guards) and an ad-hoc opposition (escaped Slaves, other residents). Virtue, wired into the control and security systems throughout the Train, had no trouble interpreting the happenings of the Train and analyzing when one attack (ad-hoc) ran the risk of leading into another attack (concerted). Especially when her electronic warfare systems also picked up the very pissed-off radio traffic from the tangos.

"Rail Guard 2 from Virtue," she put out on the radio band, then watched by the security camera relays as Megan reached for her radio switch.

"Go for Rail Guard 2," the team leader answered.

"Be advised I have significant threat traffic concurrent with your prior capture of Slavers in car 651, and I have eyes-on their quarry. Multiple hostages have broken free and are headed backwards along the Train, but are hindered by injuries and malnourishment and are making less progress than your team, how copy?"

"Good copy, Virtue. Keep an eye on them and gauge their character. When we are closer to encounter, make contact and explain the situation. What manner of threat traffic are you hearing?" Megan asked.

"The Slavers are assembling a team from Slave Fort to hunt down the escapees and kill them as an example to the other hostages. Total head count as of last radio check was above twenty," Virtue reported.

"Copy all," Megan sighed. "Alert the Mages and the Militia, we may need assistance dealing with those kinds of numbers in one attack. We will plan an ambush for a proceeding location when we have a better idea on timing and placement. Good to go?"

"Solid copy, I will heads-up Century Commander Vickers. Virtue is out." Virtue answered. "Century Commander Vickers from Virtue, priority traffic," the AI entity requested on the Magi command band, to which she had access courtesy of the Magi commo techs.

"Go for Vickers," the Century Commander answered immediately.

"Century Commander, we have an unfolding situation on the Train that may require heavy-firepower intervention from the garrison," she began her quick run-down of the events and analysis.

Within five minutes, Megan's intention to ambush the oncoming Slavers had been evolved by the Century Commander into a horseshoe-shaped ambush between the Rail Guard, the Militia, and the Multimages.

Car 0659 (Diner Car) (1021)  
Car 0660 (Seats, 2 Level) (1023)  
Car 0661 (Seats, 1 Level) (1025) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0662 (Seats, 1 Level) (1027)  
Car 0663 (Seats, 1 Level) (1029) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0664 (Seats, 2 Level) (1031) (Evacuated 5 civilians)

Pete only made it three steps into the car before the first shot was fired, a not bad shot that drilled him in the right bicep squarely in the body armor. The scale plates of the Dragon Scale Six body armor captured and distributed some of the impact, but being a 240-grain lead pill fired from a Colt Anaconda revolver, it had plenty of energy behind it and the impact effect was significant.

"BULLSHIT!" Pete shouted as he dropped below the level of the seats to cover from the sudden attack.

Harold fared no better on his entry, another gunner on the OpFor was waiting for him with a sub-gun and put three rounds of five into his waist. Again, the armor absorbed the rounds, but Harold ducked under the cover of the seats faster than Pete did.

Camille put the team on the scoreboard first, followed quickly by Cedric. The shooter that was designated third in the series missed wide with her .38 Special revolver, but Camille didn't miss her with the Infantry Support Laser. Cedric outright pre-empted the designated shooter for him by drilling him in the forehead with part of a burst of 40-caliber as he tried to bring up an AK-74 onto target.

"Don't shoot!" someone on the far side of the room shouted, with a UMP sub-machinegun above his head. "We surrender! We'll go quietly!"

"Well, that was fast," Cedric said. "Now what?"

"Up slow, weapons over your head! All of you!" Pete shouted. After a few moments, the Charlies were all standing and had their weapons above their heads. "This is it?"

"We thought you were Slavers, mister!" one of the kids responded.

"Fair 'nuff," Pete guessed the speaker was around the age of 9 or so, old enough to know the business end of a firearm but still too young to have done anything meaningful with her life. "We're not Slavers, we're getting people off this Train. And we kill Slavers."

"We got it mister! Can you get us out of here?" the nine-year-old with the Mp5K as her primary gun asked.

"Yeah." Pete toggled his radio. "Garrison, Rail Guard 2, we need a door break on car 664, got another spot-weld job here."

"Affirmative, Rail Guard, stand by for extraction," the Garrison operator said. The spot welds on the door could stop most normal people from exiting the Train, but they were wholly insufficient to stop an Armored Infantryman with a Vibrobayonet attached to the end of her 20mm Panzersturmgewehr from entering.

Car 0665 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1035) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0666 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1037)

Again, Team 2 had the entry because of the car timing, but after the past encounter they were not in a pleasant mood, and showed it to the denizens found inside.

"Shit! They're — " one of the female Slavers shouted, but didn't get far before Harold had sights on.

"AHP! DON'T EVEN FUCKING TRY!" Harold shouted, which brought all action to a halt as the rest of the Team 2 troops filtered in and took positions. "Don't give me an excuse, fuckweasels, because I will kill every one of you right where you stand and piss on the bodies. I'm not in the fuckin' mood for this shit!"

"All right, mister, we hear ya. What's the game here?"

"Game's over. This Train isn't going anywhere. There will be nobody to sell your Slaves to. There will be no immunity from the Star League, the Executors have commanded the destruction of the Slaver's Guild. The question is, how do you want this to end?"

"What, you four think you'll be able to take us all? What the fuck are you on, short stuff?" a rather large lady standing next to a M249 SAW asked. "There's over 200 Slavers on this Train, punk. And the Executors cannot revoke immunity granted by the Star League, it doesn't work that way."

Harold opened his mouth to answer the Slaver, but was interrupted by a cerulean flash of light in the center walkway of the car — the momentary burst of energy that presaged the arrival of someone by teleportation or blinking. "The Hell it does not work that way," the entry team immediately recognized the voice and vestments of High Executor Nereus.

"Who the fuck are you?" one of the male Slavers asked.

"High Executor Nereus, fourth order of the Star League Executors," Nereus identified himself, though more recognizable was —

"Jesus! That trident! It is him!" the older of the two large ladies said. "Nereus, Paladin of the Deep Blue! He's the real deal!" She was quick to take to one knee to at least demonstrate some manner of deference to someone who could kill her with a mere thought.

"So the fuck what? It's just one man with a pointy stick." The Slaver in question raised his Glock 17 to aimpoint and fired one round (a miss) and a second round a moment later. The second round struck the outer edge of a momentary defensive shell spell created by his relic weapon, which caused the bullet to fragment into several dozen pieces of harmless spall that scattered around the perimeter of the shell forward of him. "The fuc— "

Nereus reached out to the shooter with his empty left hand, in physical simulacrum of him reaching out to the Slaver with his mind — telekinesis, the ability to physically move objects by his mind. A grip on the man's neck by his mind caused the guy to immediately gag, but the killing blow was altogether nastier: Nereus wrenched the punk forward with several tons of force and slammed his face into the seat board of a bath bench, with the grip-point of the neck still moving down. The combined impact force caused his neck to audibly break, and thereafter his body flopped down to the floor listlessly.

"Jesus, sweet Jesus have mercy," the one smaller lady Slaver said after she saw the death of her comrade.

"Anyone else think I am merely a man with a pointy stick?" Nereus asked savagely.

"Hell no sir!" the elder of the large ladies said.

"Understand this clearly: we Executors hold the exclusive authority of judgment over the Star League in all particulars. If you wish to question it, you shall be annihilated for your transgressions, and you Slavers have plenty to stand for annihilation. You will not be protected by your Grand Council overlords. Your numbers are meaningless in the face of an Executor. You will submit yourselves for surrender immediately or you shall be slain, one after the next, until you do surrender or I run out of necks to break. Do you read me?"

"Yes, sir!" the lady answered.

"Disarm yourselves, slowly, and place your hands on top of your heads. If you refuse to comply, you will join your deceased comrade. When you all have disarmed, you will form up in a column and prepare to be marched out of the Train. Begin now."

Wisely, the remaining seven Slavers did not make any trouble for the High Executor as he escorted them off the Train.

Car 0667 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1043) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 2 recruits, 12 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0668 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1045)  
Car 0669 (House Car, 1 level) (1047) (Evacuated 7 civilians)  
Car 0670 (Lounge Car) (1049) (Evacuated 19 civilians, 2 recruits)  
Car 0671 (Seats, 1 level) (1051)  
Car 0672 (Seats, 2 level) (1053)  
Car 0673 (Seats, 2 level) (1055) (Evacuated 12 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0674 (Seats, 2 level) (1057)  
Car 0675 (Seats, 2 level) (1059) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0676 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1101) (Evacuated 19 civilians)  
Car 0677 (Baths, gender-split) (1103)  
Car 0678 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1105) (Evacuated 19 civilians)  
Car 0679 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1107) (Evacuated 6 civilians)  
Car 0680 (House, 2 level) (1109) (Evacuated 6 civilians) (+2 mins due to unprepared civilians)

"There's always someone, somewhere, shagging it on these Trains, I figure," Megan said as the last two (partially dressed) civilians headed for the exterior door that was now standing open.

"Not a hard bet to make," Ikuno said knowingly. "Must keep oneself entertained on this hellwagon somehow."

"And a lot of the Lounge cars are held by the Mafiosi, so…" Pete concluded the thought. "Huh, this is a bit different," the team-2 sometimes-pointman picked up a Heckler & Koch rifle. "HK33, ah, this must be their old general-purpose rifle!"

"Gonna keep it?" Megan asked.

"Yeah, Heckler and Koch are known for decent or better guns, might as well," Pete did the basic function checks on it, barrel obstruction check, and fitted the sling for his personal use. "Now we have two assault rifles in the unit."

"We really need a light machine gun," Quintin pointed out.

"I can handle one, but I am far better with a scoped rifle," Ikuno said with some satisfaction to voice.

"We'll worry about it later," Megan ordered. "Next car, let's keep the skeer up until lunch."

"Yes, ma'am," Quintin took a sip of water, then stacked up for the entry into the next car.

Car 0681 (Dining Car) (1113) (Evacuated 11 civilians, 2 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0682 (Seats, 2 Level) (1115) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0683 (Seats, 2 Level) (1117)  
Car 0684 (Seats, 1 Level) (1119)  
Car 0685 (Seats, 1 Level) (1121) (Evacuated 5 recruits)  
Car 0686 (Seats, 2 Level) (1123)  
Car 0687 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1125) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0688 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1127) (Evacuated 14 civilians)  
Car 0689 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1129) (Evacuated 15 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0690 (Baths, gender-split) (1131) (Evacuated 12 civilians, 1 recruit)  
Car 0691 (House, 1 level) (1133) (Evacuated 9 civilians)  
Car 0692 (Lounge Car) (1135) (Evacuated 16 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0693 (Seats, 1 Level) (1137) (Evacuated 2 recruits, 3 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0694 (Seats, 1 Level) (1139) (Evacuated 3 recruits, 14 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0695 (Seats, 2 Level) (1141) (Evacuated 13 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0696 (Seats, 2 Level) (1143) (Evacuated 9 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0697 (Seats, 1 Level) (1145) (Evacuated 9 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0698 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1147) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0699 (Baths, gender-split) (1149)  
Car 0700 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1151) (Evacuated 4 civilians)

-x-x-x-

(Car 0769, 1148 Hours Lima (Local) time)

"We've made good progress, by my count we're 48 cars back from where we started," Athrun encouraged the other Slaves and the ZAFT personnel.

"Damn, though, I would never have guessed this little walking could hurt so much," Meyrin grumped after she took a seat at a dining table and propped her foot up to inspect her left ankle.

"I thought I might have sprained it when they captured us, but now I know I did," the lady civilian slave escapee that had been helping Meyrin along said of her own ankle.

"That's pretty heavily swollen," the ZAFT Warrant Officer mechanic said as he took a seat next to her foot. "Hold still a second." He began feeling the swollen section for possible injuries. "Okay, yeah, I'm not feeling anything broke, you may have a hairline fracture or just a sprain-strain injury."

"All I know is it's painful as hell, and your hands are cold."

"I've only been sweating my ass off in nervousness for the past two hours," he admitted.

"We all have," Athrun admitted. "I just wish I knew more about what was pursuing us, if anything, and where that military team is," he grumped.

"Attention, Athrun Zala, I can connect you to the military team by video link if you wish," a voice said by way of the speakers in the room.

"Who said that?" Meyrin beat Athrun to the inevitable (and _pro forma_ ) question.

"I am the artificial intelligence entity in charge of facility control for the military base this train is parked in. I have complete control over the automated systems in the Train and have been watching your escape progress intently, soldier."

"Can you open a door for us?" the ZAFT junior mechanic asked the obvious question.

"Negative, the doors have been welded shut, and though it is possible to have them forced, it may be in everyone's best interest to continue the journey as you have already planned. Are you willing to hear me out?"

Athrun weighed some options, and decided that an AI entity could easily have stiffed them already if she wanted. That meant that there was at least one more angle in play, in addition to the obvious continuation angle. "Okay, I am listening," Athrun said. "What do you propose?"

"You are presently 43 cars away from a minor Slaver encampment assembled in a shower car, a house car, and a lounge car, staffed by some 25 Slavers. The Rail Guard team will reach these cars well before you do, and in combination with the Armored Infantry garrison forces, intend to deploy an ambush for the Slavers you have drawn into pursuit. If you can make the rendezvous, the Rail Guard team will be able to end the pursuit and lay waste to a reinforced platoon of Slaver Guild veterans as well as ensure your safe evacuation from the Train."

"Okay, let's talk to these guys," Meyrin said.

"I like the thought of laying waste to them, where do we sign up?" the Warrant Officer mechanic asked.

"Can you link us to the Rail Guards?" Athrun asked.

"Standby," the monitors above the diner grill area lit up, one monitor showing the locations on the train (the Rail Guards had just entered Car 700), the other monitor showing a pictograph of a ringing phone along with a more modernized ringtone. After three rings, the screen popped into what looked like a special forces raider with a sleeper car in the background. "Lieutenant Christenson, I have Athrun Zala and five on the line, escapees from the Slavers in Car 817."

"Thank you, Virtue. Good show, soldier, not many of the Slaves bother to resist their captors directly, most just join the gangs or lay low," she said.

"Thanks," Athrun said, not sure where to go beyond that.

"Are any of you injured?" she continued.

"Just a couple bad ankles," Athrun said. "Sprains, nothing severe."

"Gotcha. Virtue, their group is in a dining car, is the equipment online?"

"Affirmative, Rail Guard," Virtue answered.

"You'll need water, something light and high-energy for food, and pain suppressant to keep it going. Virtue, water bladders, emergency ration bars, tylenol, and a lidocaine patch for the ladies with the injured ankles. The lidocaine will give you a fast suppressant, and the tylenol will continue to keep the pain down until you can link up with us."

The dispenser under the monitor ratcheted open automatically, and within were the requested items. "Wow, that's…"

"Unnerving?" the lady behind and to the right of the Lieutenant said.

"Helpful," Athrun said, already having made the leap of mindset to accept the unnerving aspect of an Artificial Intelligence entity in their area.

"You'll need it. By our calculations, you should be intercepted by the Slavers coming down from their main fortification somewhere around Car 712 at your going pace — that will be well after you're behind our ambush location, but this isn't something we want to take chances on. Not to mention, walking on bad ankles is a very unpleasant experience," Lieutenant Christenson said.

"Definitely," Meyrin acknowledged the point.

"We can keep the pace up, will you be ready for us at the designated cars?" Athrun asked.

"If we run into trouble, we will have the Garrison troops break you out of the Train to make sure you are clear of the line of fire," Megan assured him. "Still, we don't expect trouble — the semi-fortified area in cars 723 to 725 is guarded by a couple good squads of Slavers, nothing major. Just keep your team together and moving, we'll have the welcome mat out for you. We've got to move if we're going to make the rendezvous."

"Yeah. Good luck," Athrun said, a bit buoyed by the conversation with the Rail Guard commander.

"Yeah, you too, trooper. Rail Guard is out." The signal cut off after that.

Athrun hopped the counter and pulled the material out of the dispenser. Six water bladders, bottles of water to fill them, Tylenol, emergency meal bars, and lidocaine patches. Under other circumstances, he would have considered the offering suspect, but with the presence of an artificial intelligence entity in their unit, things were already well past 'suspect' and into 'freaky' territory.

The escaped slaves were mobile before 1200, which put them ahead of Virtue's estimates, but the result would be the same.

-x-x-x-

Car 0701 (Baths, individual rooms (14)) (1157)  
Car 0702 (House, 2 Level) (1159) (Evacuated 4 civilians)  
Car 0703 (Storage Interface Car) (1201) (Evacuated 3 civilians)  
Car 0704 (Seats, 2 Level) (1203)  
Car 0705 (Seats, 1 Level) (1205) (Evacuated 14 Charlie Mafiosi as Recruits)  
Car 0706 (Seats, 2 Level) (1207) (Evacuated 4 civilians, 7 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0707 (Seats, 2 Level) (1209)  
Car 0708 (Seats, 2 Level) (1211) (Evacuated 9 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0709 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1213) (Evacuated 20 civilians, 12 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0710 (Baths, individual rooms (14)) (1215) (Evacuated 7 civilians)  
Car 0711 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1217) (Evacuated 12 civilians, 1 recruit)  
Car 0712 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1219)  
Car 0713 (House, 1 level) (1221) (Evacuated 10 Charlie Mafiosi, 1 recruit)  
Car 0714 (Dining Car) (1223) (Evacuated 12 civilians)  
Car 0715 (Dining Car) (1225) (Evacuated 12 Charlie Mafiosi) (+1 minute negotiation)  
Car 0716 (Seats, 2 Level) (1228)  
Car 0717 (Seats, 1 Level) (1230)  
Car 0718 (Seats, 2 Level) (1232) (Evacuated 1 recruit)  
Car 0719 (Seats, 2 Level) (1234) (Evacuated 7 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0720 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1236) (Evacuated 12 Civilians, 1 recruit, 9 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0721 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1239) (Evacuated 3 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0722 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1241) (Evacuated 24 Civilians, 1 Charlie Mafiosi as recruit)

"Listen up, guys. On the far side of that door are 25 pissed-off Slavers. We're going to need to drill through them until they surrender or we run out of Slavers to drill. Take your time, clear your corners and cover your zones properly. Make sure it is done right, and for God's sake, don't get mortally shot, please." Megan said.

"Now that's a pep speech," Quintin said with a thumbs-up.

"Or knifed mortally, that would be equally bad," Ikuno chimed in.

"Rules of engagement?" Cedric asked.

"Kill 'em all and count the bodies unless they surrender, in which case you will make reasonable effort to capture alive," Megan decided.

"What do we know?" Pete asked.

"Virtue?" Megan prompted the AI.

"Five are here in the shower car as a rearguard, since they generally know you are coming. Ten are in the house car in the center, ten are in the lounge car at the head of their fortification," the AI ran down the full disposition of the enemy. "This group has only one small knot of Slaves, four persons in the secondary bedroom of the house car upper floor."

"There you have it. Make ready for an extended firefight, troops. First entry is quiet."

Car 0723 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1244)

Quintin was first into the car like normal and immediately broke right, followed quickly by Scarlet who broke left. Scarlet came face-to-side with two slavers in the process of banging. The lady gasped as she caught sight of Scarlet's UMP40, and in so doing seized up with the guy fully embedded in her.

"Don't scream or you will be shot," Scarlet said quietly. "Don't reach for a weapon, hot shit, you're not that fast," she ordered of the guy.

"You win," the guy put his hands up. Given their position, the lady was already hands-up-legs-spread (and mostly undressed), which rendered her a non-threat.

"All right, out of her and face the port-side wall," Scarlet ordered as Ikuno moved past her and took aim down the hallway adjacent to the bath stall area..

The guy tried moving backwards, but the lady ended up coming with him in a mirror movement. "I, uh, I can't."

"What?" Scarlet asked.

"I can't! I can't get loose!" He put one hand on the center of her back and tried pushing away, but nothing changed. "I think I'm stuck."

"Well that sucks," Carl said. "Bet she contracted on him when you scared her. I've heard of this happening before, it's going to take a medic and a muscle relaxer to get them apart."

"That's some shit you don't hear about every day," Quintin said.

"So now what?" Scarlet asked.

"Handcuff 'em and stage them for extraction as they are," Megan ordered. "We'll let the medics sort 'em out."

"Ten-four," Scarlet replied. "Carl, if you will do the honors?"

"On it," Carl pulled a set of zip-cuffs and pulled the guy's left hand down behind his back, secured the left side of the cuff, then pulled his right hand down and zipped it closed to secure.

"This is fucking embarrassing. Literally fucking embarrassing," the guy said.

"I ain't liking it any more than you are," the lady said as Carl secured her right hand, then her left by way of reaching across her from the right side to pull her arm in.

"Shit happens, guys," Carl said. "Now, there's supposed to be five of you, where are the others?"

"Showers," the guy nodded to his right, where the showers were arrayed on the port-side of the room.

"What's going on out th — urk," a lady with two good-sized Slaver tattoos said from one of the showers.

"Don't do it, honey," Quintin aimed his scoped battle rifle in her direction.

"All three of you, out of the showers with your hands up, do it now, do it quietly," Megan ordered as she took an overwatch position on the three ordered shower stalls. There was no resistance from the three in the showers, they all came out quietly and were cuffed by the entry team with no issue.

"What the hell is this?" the smallest of the three ladies asked.

"Sigma Mercenaries Rail Guard. You Slavers are under arrest for human trafficking," Megan answered matter-of-factly.

"Right, like that'll hold when the Star League Grand Magistrate disbands your kangaroo court," the guy from the showers said.

"Won't be the Star League that deals with you," Ikuno said quietly. "The Executors and the Magi have taken interest in your ranks."

"Oh. Oh shit," the guy that was forcefully attached at the hips to the Slaver recruit had quickly realized that this may be the last great embarrassment of his soon-to-be-cut-short life.

"Team 2, move up to the next door and prepare to make entry with flashbangs and full force," Megan ordered. The security camera footage showed five persons under arms in the main room and kitchen area of the lower level of the house car, meaning there was no hope for a stealthy second entry. She silently vowed to work on possible gearsets for stealthy attacks in the future. "Team 1, two persons hold here on the Slavers, Scarlet and Quintin stack and prepare to reinforce Team 2."

Car 0724 (House Car, 2 Level) (1248)

A two-level house car comprised two similar levels of rooms to clear, with an amazing amount of hazard on either level as the teams had learned repeatedly in training. Each level of the car was effectively a functional trailer-style house in it, with a great room, a kitchenette, a small dining area, a master bedroom, a secondary bedroom, and a small bathroom / shower area. It was meant to sleep up to 5 persons in rather spartan quarters, but the trend on the Trains was more along the lines of fifteen or twenty sharing the quarters of a single level.

Harold double-tapped the door control on the main commo terminal next to the door, which caused both the near-side door and far-side door of the connection to open. His other hand held an armed and ready flashbang, along with Pete carrying his own. When the doors were mostly opened, Harold tossed his in, followed a full second later by Pete's NFD, the combination of which stunned everyone on the lower level of the house car.

Entry was by the book: Harold, Pete, Cedric, Camille. The strong-side near corner was held by a veteran Slaver who was waving a very massive revolver in the direction of the door, so Harold gave him no quarter and drilled him twice in the chest from a range of five feet. The paltry light body armor the Slaver was wearing — Rated IIA, Harold discovered after the fact — did nearly nothing to stop the pair of 7.62x51 hollow-point rounds. Even the small steel square trauma plate over the wearer's heart was incapable of withstanding that level of abuse.

A Slaver on the weak side of the car tried firing on the entry team, a lofty effort that resulted in precisely no hits because she was still flash-blinded by the flashbang. Pete put paid to her as he entered, three rounds from his HK33 assault rifle dropped the lady with no regard for the flak vest she was (improperly) wearing and put an end to her attempted counterattack.

Cedric struck luckiest of the entry effort, a rather elite female Slaver tried to stand up from making out with another of the Slavers, and was temporarily tangled enough for Cedric to close on her and stock her with his UMP40, which knocked her down to the couch and on top of her boy-toy. To ensure neither could make a move, he drove a knee into the small of her back and took aim at the guy's face from six inches away, clear enough threat that if they moved wrong they were both dead.

Camille had the last against a spirited recruit Slaver with a Colt King Cobra revolver. He missed Cedric's face by a mere inch, the product of adrenaline and poor shooting form (too much push motion on the trigger), Camille did not miss her shot with the L30 Infantry Support Laser. One good round to the chest scorched a respectable hole through his lung and put him down for the count.

"Two caps, three kills," Megan reported. "Two eyes on the stairwell, two work on securing these Slavers"

"Pete," Cedric waved him over to where he had the two Slavers pinned.

"The fuck? Who are you maniacs?" the lady Slaver asked.

"Sigma Mercenaries Rail Guard division," Cedric answered. "Steel," he held his left hand up to where Megan could give him a pair of handcuffs. With a pair in hand, he captured the lady's left wrist, then let go of his UMP40 to hang so he could collect her right wrist and complete the securing. Her only notable firearm was a MDBS-04 double-barrel combat shotgun, and it was on the wrong side of the couch for her to even touch it; the butterfly knife she kept on the inside of her flak vest was paltry and easily confiscated. "Pete?"

"Sights on the trouser snake," Pete said, referring to the guy.

"Tango on the stairs!" Megan shouted, her rifle aimed in that direction, but Camille beat her to the first shot handily with a chest shot. The three rounds from the team leader were pro forma and overkill, but ensured the job was done.

"He's down," Camille said as Cedric cuffed the surviving male Slaver.

"Another!" Harold caught sight of another guy, this one a bit older, with some kind of slender-barreled hunting rifle. What followed was a race between the two rifles to see who got on target first, and in this case the tango fired first. Though very accurate and easy to handle, the cartridge used in his Dakota 76 Varmint rifle was a .22 magnum cartridge — a short-range target and very small game (varmint) cartridge of extremely limited use against larger targets. Harold would not realize that he had actually been struck by the round in his chest (the armor stopped it cold) until well later in the day. On the other hand, the two rounds Harold fired from his SOCOM II battle rifle cored out the tango's left lung in two places, and the Slaver would bleed out unconscious before the team took to the second floor.

"By my math, we have three more tangos and five hostages," Pete said.

"These two are secured," Cedric announced after both Slavers were planted face-down on the seat of the couch they were prior making out on.

"You won't get away with this," the lady amongst the two said.

"Feel free to file a complaint with the Executors, that is who our contract is through," Megan retorted sarcastically. "Team 1, advance to center car and take control of two captures. Team 2 stack on stairs and prepare to clear top level."

"Bangs up top?" Pete asked.

"Aye, Cedric and Camille donates one each," Megan ordered, which would help the team balance expendables on hand.

The stairs upstairs were a welded metal plate and bar spiral staircase enclosed in a small cupola that lead up into the living room of the upstairs suite, nothing special. For Pete and Harold to get up far enough to heft their Flashbangs up into the threat zone, they had to advance halfway up the staircase, then throw. After that, it was a simple affair to run up the stairs and into the upstairs engagement zone.

To the left of the stairs, toward the kitchen and beyond it the two bedrooms for this floor, only one of the Slavers held guard in that direction, and he was stunned by the Flashbang but still holding a pump shotgun so Pete drilled him in the upper chest with three rounds from a distance of five meters. The 5.56mm rounds used in his HK33 rifle easily passed through the enemy, but did not pass through the stove behind him and thus presented no hazard to the hostages on the same floor.

On the right, in the great room / living room area, a fairly large Slaver had been waiting in ambush with a light machine gun aimed at the stairwell, until Harold's flashbang detonated between his feet. The blast had very little physical force to it, but the deafening blast and flash caused him to temporarily lose control of most of his dedicated muscle control and his balance, which put him on the ground and holding his ears in severe pain. Harold, backed up by Cedric, had no trouble cuffing him and stripping him of arms.

That left one Slaver in the car, who was foolish enough to make her presence known from the master bedroom by way of stepping out into clear view of the kitchenette area (and by extension into line of sight of all four of Team 2), armed only with a 1911 and wearing only a frilly bra and panties set. The shouts from all four of the Rail Guards, combined with the heavy weapons pointed at her, were easily ample to convince her to drop the pistol and surrender. Cedric did the honors for securing her and moving the two captures downstairs to be evacuated when the Slaver Outpost was cleared completely.

All that remained was the hostages, to which Megan and Pete saw to them. Pete opened the door, Megan led the entry into the car.

"JESUS!" one of the ladies in the room shouted. It did not take Megan long to realize that of the five in the room, only one was male, the other four were female, and only two of them appeared to be of voting age or above.

"Who are you?" the one male child asked.

"Sigma Mercenaries Rail Guard. We're here to clear the Trains and clear hostages. Can you stand?" Megan asked, deliberately forcing herself to not dwell on or imagine what would have happened to these persons if the Train had not been stopped.

"We can walk, certainly," the older of the two ladies in the room said. "Where do we go? This Train — "

"Is now the property of the Protectorate of Sigma, and you five are no longer wards of the Slavers," Megan finished the sentence for her. "Head downstairs, we'll open the door shortly to get you off the Train."

"Thank God!" the older of the two female children said.

"I want to help. Where do I sign up?" the elder of the two ladies said.

"As do I," the younger of the two ladies said.

"We'll talk after we clear the lounge car ahead of us and set up an ambush for some oncoming Slavers," Megan said. "Just get clear for now, we have more work to do."

"Godspeed and God bless," the elder of the female children said as she moved past Pete and toward the stairs.

Pete waited ten seconds after they were downstairs before he said anything. "I like a happy ending," he said.

"Always was a sucker for a happy ending, myself, so let's make it happen. One more car to clear, then we set up one pisser of an ambush!" Megan headed for the stairs to drop down to the lower floor — the lounge cars could only be entered from the floor level, they did not have a second floor.

Car 0725 (Lounge Car) (1255)

Once the captures and hostages were out of the 724 car and secured in a transport truck (manned by a Capellan hostage who knew her way around trucks), Team 1 moved up to the next interface to make entry into the lounge. In this case, the security cameras in the room told a tale: they were waiting for the team with their own mini-ambush, but they lacked any serious heavy weapons — most of the enemy arsenal was pistols and revolvers, with a grand total of three shotguns and no automatic weapons.

"Scarlet, you are authorized to use the grenade launcher," Megan ordered.

"Quintin, bang 'em so I can take a shot," Scarlet said as she prepared her M32 for action.

"Aye aye," he answered stoutly. A double-tap on the communication interface next to the door opened both doors, and with it he sidearm heaved in a flashbang.

The enemy fired several times through the open door, but training made their effort useless: there was nobody visible until after the flashbang detonated, and by that time they could not see straight to take a clean shot. Advantage Sigma, or specifically Scarlet, in that they continued uselessly blind-firing right up until her first grenade detonated.

Manufactured by Milkor, the M-32 grenade launcher was quickly gaining favor in western-aligned armies for providing infantrymen the ability to rapid-fire six 40mm grenade launcher rounds in seconds. For the same reason, Scarlet loved it — she carried enough firepower to lay waste to the entire population of a single-floor car if needed. Two grenades went downrange, and both landed where she intended them. Round one struck the edge of a bar table on the starboard side of the car where two tangos were hiding, with the fragmentation ripping into everyone nearby. A second round landed just to the side of the upturned pool table, again intent to let the fragmentation do the job and wax anyone hiding behind the table.

Three Slavers had hidden behind the pool table — all three were dead from blast and fragmentation. Two of the booths on the starboard side were occupied, with two dead, one incapacitated from injuries, and one lightly wounded. The remainder of the Slavers had taken position behind the bar, with one moderately wounded (saved by her body armor that stopped some chest-bound shrapnel), one slain, and one unharmed — the mini-fridge under the bar had absorbed what shrapnel had been flying in his general direction.

In less than ten seconds, the Rail Guards had put an end to their attempted ambush.

"Go go go!" Quintin led the entry into the car even before the pressure differential had finished dissipating, followed hotly by Carl. The Blue Dragon-in-human-form hefted a flashbang over the bar to ensure that the area was of little threat, and in so doing the one uninjured Slaver jumped over the counter to try to escape what he thought was a grenade. The Flashbang detonated just a moment after he had his head over the counter height, and though he followed through properly with the jump he was stunned by the blast and landed with his right arm tucked improperly, resulting in a dislocated shoulder and a fractured wrist. When his brain began functioning properly again, he found himself staring down the barrels of two UMP40 sub-guns and wisely made no hostile moves.

Only one of the surviving Slavers tried to resist, a paltry offhand shot with a Walther P22 target pistol, with two missed shots before Ikuno drilled him in the forehead from ten meters distance. "He's down," she reported after her shot.

"One incap over here, one wounded and surrendered," Scarlet reported from the end of the bar, now with her UMP40 in hand rather than the grenade launcher.

"That's all of them accounted for," Megan said as she jumped the bar to secure the wounded Slaver behind it. Quintin slapped the cuffs on the prior-uninjured Slaver, and it was a simple affair for Ikuno to disarm the incapactated but still breathing and conscious Slaver.

"Medic support will take care of the rest," Megan declared. "Command, Rail Guard Team 1, be advised we have three Slavers captured in need of medical evacuation. We are setting up ambush in car 725 as per plan, how copy?"

"Solid copy, Rail Guard, I have a demolitions expert enroute to set up explosives for the party," Century Commander Vickers reported.

"Acknowledge all, sir, and much welcomed for the assist. We're going to begin processing the deceased and prepare the ground for the ambush. Virtue, Rail Guard, what is the status of Zala and his escapees?"

"Escaped Slaves are on schedule for the rendezvous," Virtue reported.

"Damn good," Megan said with a smile.

"There's something that warms the soul about killing Slavers en masse," Curt answered her smile with one of his own.

"Alright, here's my thinking, troops. This car, the lounge car, we will suck them into here and demo the room once the bulk of their forces have entered the killbox. Our actual ambush is going to be in the house car, we will need to set up expedient cover barriers to protect against small arms, and we will need some heavier weps. Once they hit our front line, we pop the demo, then neutralize or capture anyone else still alive in the ambush area. Any questions?"

"Sounds like fun, where do I sign up?" Camille asked as she approached.

"You're in the right place," Megan assured her. "Harold, Carl, Cedric, police up the bodies and Funeral Rune them. Use the shower car area for it. Quintin, help Ikuno rotate this pool table so it is not blocking movement through here. Camille, Scarlet, Pete, and I will gather up their weapons and determine what is optimal for the ambush. Let's get to it, people!"

"Yes ma'am!" Cedric said with some cheer. It was a feeling shared throughout the team, and for good reason. They were actually solving the problem, measurably solving the problem, and that was a feeling impossible to deny.

-x-x-x-

(Car 0724, Time 1352L)

"Okay, peeps, here's what we have from the first lot worth talking about: UMP45, M1A rifle, MDBS-04 pump-action double-barrel, Beretta semi-auto shotgun. Takers?" Megan asked. "I have the MDBS if nobody wants it."

"I'll do the UMP and the M1A, fire one dry, grab up the second and fire it dry, sound good?" Scarlet asked, and received the two guns.

"I'll take the Beretta," Camille received the shotgun in question.

"Second lot, the house car, we have an AT-4 with the CS mod package, so it is safe to fire in the car. I doubt we will be facing any armor, but firing this in their direction may spook a surrender."

"I'll take it, but I'll probably hold it for future use," Harold slung the rocket over his back.

"IAC Hawk with a reflex sight and magnifier. Highly doubt you'll need the magnification in this battle, but later it might be handy. Also, another MDBS-04. Takers?"

"Give me the IAC," Ikuno asked, and received a moment later.

"No takes on the MDBS? Fair 'nuff, they're rough arsenal. Next up is an AK-74 with an extended magazine and bayonet."

"Take," Cedric waved for it, and Megan delivered.

"Browning Automatic Rifle with scope and extended magazine. Anyone know the ins and outs of light machine guns?" Pete, Harold, Ikuno, and Scarlet all held up their hands. "Harold, your dance."

"Yes ma'am," Harold received the modified light machine gun with gusto.

"All right, the Magi Armored Combat Engineers are bringing defensive bulwarks in for us, should be arriving in a couple minutes, as will be the demolition troops."

"What that I could learn how to do demolition and traps," Harold said wistfully.

"After we go down for training, I'll see about having a couple days of courses laid in for it," Megan said. "Truth to tell, if this is supposed to be a common occurrence, I want to know how to rig traps and mines myself."

"Rail Guard from Virtue, be advised the escapees are approaching the door to Car 0726, they will be in the lounge car short — Hold one, we may have some trouble," Megan already had her tablet out, so identifying the problem was no challenge to her.

"Charlies grow an attitude. Team 2, go sort this out but try to do it diplomatically," Megan ordered.

"Aye aye, boss lady," Harold said.

-x-

"I don't believe this," Meyrin said in clear disgust. "We're one door away from our destination!" They had traversed almost a hundred cars and had not a bit of trouble from the other denizens, but now they were being subjected to a 'passage tax' by the child gang here, in literal line of sight to their destination.

"Doesn't matter, you're in our territory right now, lady, and — " he was cut short by the sound of the doors opening behind them, from the 725 car. "What the — OH SHIT!" he shouted when the first guy through the door — their pointman — turned out to be a not-insignificantly-sized dude carrying a light machine gun.

"Urk, that's the Rail Guard team," the elder of the three female children said, holding her Remington 870 toward the ceiling and wisely not pointing it at a team more famous for killing Slavers than anything else.

Their pointman walked up to the back of the Charlie group nonchalantly, then set the stock of his light machine gun on the metro bench next to the lead Charlie. What got the attention of both the ZAFT crew and the Charlies was that all four were wearing heavy body armor with modular pouches, all of them had several weapons and grenades, and all four had extra weapons in hand, meaning they were ready for an extended fight.

"Holy fuck," the younger of the two male Charlie Mafiosi said in reverence.

The pointman flexed his jaw for a moment, which caused it to pop audibly. "Your territory claim doesn't matter, kid. Twenty minutes behind this crew, there is a reinforced platoon of 40 or so Slavers coming this way, with some of their heaviest gear and guns and they're not happy."

"Forty? Holy shit," the youngest of the five Charlies said. Meyrin guessed the girl was maybe half her age, which made the way she was holding a medium-frame revolver all that much more chilling.

"You got it, kid, forty of the shitheads. By my math, that's two shit-tons of pain coming this way. Now, I can order you off the Train but I can't enforce it and I don't have the time to enforce it. If you stay here, it's your asses on the line and I'm not going to flap my ass out here in the breeze to try to save yours, you read me?"

"Got it, mister, what do you want us to do?" the eldest of the kids said. Meyrin guessed him around 16, maybe early 17 in age.

"Two cars back, out the central door. Follow the instructions of the Armored Infantry, they'll get you squared away. Move it," the pointman ordered.

"Yessir," three of the five said meekly, and all of them filtered past the Rail Guard team with no hesitation.

"That worked pretty well," Meyrin said with some relief.

"At heart, they're scared kids in a scary environment, nothing more, nothing less," Harold said. "Doesn't take much to break their patina of hardness in most cases. Harold, Element 2 for the Rail Guard team. You're Zala, right?"

"Athrun Zala, yeah," he offered his hand for a shake, which Harold gladly accepted. "I owe you for this, and for getting us out ahead of the Slavers."

"Nah, this is our day-job, don't worry about it," Harold said with some nonchalance. "C'mon, let's get you back to the ambush area and we'll talk further. Pete, Cedric, assist the two ladies out, I'll cover the rear," Harold said, a decision which would later be cited as justification for his promotion to Sergeant under the brevet promotion of Megan to Lieutenant (that Hess would gladly sign off on before the end of the day).

"Man, this is a relief!" the civilian Slave escapee said as Pete slid in under her arm and helped her up.

"So, what's the plan?" Zala asked as the team began their move rearward.

"Suck them into a fortified zone, reduce until surrender or elimination," the lady with a shoulder-carried laser weapon (?) said. "Watch your step through the lounge car, Team 1 and some of the Magi Combat Engineers are rigging demo."

"Demo?" Meyrin asked in shock. She recognized the term from her time in the ZAFT military, but it was something she had never been exposed to.

"Demolitions charges," Athrun said warily.

"Oh," Meyrin said before Pete walked her through the door into the lounge car.

True to their word, four more of the Rail Guards were going over mines, demolition charges, and traps with two of the Magi Combat Engineers — only, Athrun was expecting a couple light infantryman for Combat Engineers, not two hulking Armored Infantry troopers with full armor and heavy gear sets configured around rigging and destroying a plethora of scenarios.

"…thus the beauty of the location. We have two vectors for concealable fragmentation devices, the bar on the left and the booths on the right. Claymores in the back face of the bar pointing toward the center and toward the next car. Radial fragmentation mines on the bottom of the booth tables. All are slaved to the same detonation frequency, you press the button once, the entire series goes off."

"Nothing fancy," a lady sniper from Team 1 said. "Total of sixteen devices should be enough? Six Claymore, ten of the mines?"

"Aff," one of the Combat Engineers said. "You know your demolitions, young one?"

"Some. I was a Yakuza Sniper in a prior life, my brothers learned most of the demolitions and trapping, but I picked some up," she admitted. "I know Claymores well, I have emplaced them a few times in the past."

Meyrin looked at one of the crates of 'material' as she passed by, and was a bit stunned by the stenciling on it: "Improved Multipurpose Mine, Radio Command Detonation, 20 pieces. Lot 668437705626, Mfgr Date 14505-06-22, Jallestrom Weapons, Hesperus 603, Multimage Star Empire." Curiously, a box next to it was loaded with 1-kilo boxes of roofing nails, which seemed an odd thing for demolitions troopers to have when rigging explosives on the inside of a car...

"Hold up," Meyrin said to Pete as she caught sight past the box to one of the mines that was laying on the table. "Is this safe to handle?" she asked nobody in particular, since she wasn't sure who would know.

"That mine is not armed," the other Combat Engineer said. "It is safe to touch."

Meyrin picked it up and looked it over thoroughly. The mine was only a bit larger than her two hands held together, and weighed only a little bit more than a common automatic rifle from her basic training days. "It's light," she said.

"Plastic casing. There is very little metal in these devices," the demolitions expert said.

"How many will one of these mines kill?" she asked after a moment of looking it over. She could not read Japanese, which was what most of the markings on it were written in.

"The blast radius is lethal at ten meters and injurious out to 20 meters," the same Combat Engineer said.

"So, you intend to kill everyone in this car when you fire these off?" Athrun asked, looking over Meyrin's shoulder at the mine.

"That is the intention, aff," the Combat Engineer confirmed readily. "These dezgra dogs have earned annihilation but we will have to settle for mere overkill, for this outfit lacks a reliable way to annihilate them properly."

"Wouldn't killing them all count as annihilation?" the ZAFT Warrant Officer mechanic asked.

"You misunderstand, trooper," the Combat Engineer said. "The term 'annihilation' holds a different meaning amongst the Magi and the Executors. For us, to kill them all is referred to as 'reaving their formation'. To annihilate someone or something is to destroy it at the subatomic level, which can only be reliably done by Antimatter, Force Magic, or Void Magic. That is only done to the most dishonored, though Slavers are universally reviled and usually subject to annihilation when captured alive."

"Oh," Meyrin gaped at the new definition to a term she never expected to hear used.

-x-

Megan watched from a barstool as her second element brought the escaped hostages through to the house car. "How's it coming, boss?" Camille asked as she preceded Athrun into the room.

"We're rigged and ready here, as soon as the demo is done everything will be laid in. We have about fifteen minutes before the enemy column is here," Megan answered immediately.

"They were almost done rigging the demo when we came through," Athrun said as he saw to seating Meyrin and the civilian hostage escapee on the couch in the living room of the house car.

"Good." Megan stood up to meet with Athrun, and returned his salute in the American fashion.

"Thanks for getting us out, Lieutenant," Athrun said.

"It's we who should be thanking you, trooper," Megan countered. "Virtue has caught wind of a possible fortified zone somewhere above Car 900, at least a hundred Slavers involved. Drawing this column out here so we can chop them down is going to make assaulting that little fortress so much easier."

"It's there," Athrun said. "When they brought us on, it was in the middle of that fort. I estimate around 120 slavers total in what I saw, and storage area for a lot of Slaves. I don't remember what the exact number of the car was, sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Megan said. "They destroyed all the sensor systems between 911 and 918, which just serves to highlight where they are. We'll get to them probably in the next day or two, but for today, we've got your pursuers to deal with." Megan flicked a panel from her tablet to one of the television systems in the room. It was a security camera wide-angle of Car 732, with the main point of interest being the column of Slavers coming their way.

"Oh wow, marching derpy," the ZAFT Warrant Officer said. "Column like that, a heavy machine gun would kill most of them before they knew what went wrong."

The door to the lounge car opened. "Explosives are ready, Lieutenant," Ikuno said, having already internalized the not-yet-official rank that Virtue had pinned on Megan to make it look official.

"I think that's it, we're ready to go," Megan acknowledged the point. "All right, Athrun, do you want in?"

Even for someone who had just been savaged by the Slavers, it was not a simple question with a simple answer, and he took thirty seconds to come to a conclusion. It was also the conclusion that Megan expected: "No, not this time, I have to see to my troops," the escapee said.

"Got it, I expected you would say that." She looked over to the chairs. "Pete, Harold, help the ladies out to the transport truck, then get your butts back in here and get set up for the ambush. We're go in 12 minutes." She focused back close on Athrun. "Don't jump into a position. Take a day or two and sort yourself out, trooper. This unit's going places, lots of them, and you may want to start by finding the right direction for yourself first. Worry about the rest later."

"Understood, thank you," again, Athrun saluted the Lieutenant, and saw his team out of the car and into a waiting transport truck.

-x-

(10 minutes later)

The lead heavy weapons Slaver in the search-and-kill column had been staring at the arse of the one female in the lead 'element' for over an hour now, and he considered it a very nice arse to look at. It was about the only thing nice about this detail, he silently admitted to himself.

They popped open the door to Car 725, though the column was out of the center aisle for it because there had been a very brief and garbled radio transmission from the forward outpost before it had been very noisily cut off. Something had happened, but nobody was clearly sure what had happened so they were exercising caution.

That 'something' became rather evident after they opened the door and found a very torn up room with blood stains in multiple locations but no bodies and no weapons.

"Think it was Charlie Mafiosi? Weebs?" the greenhorn they had convinced to run point asked. He used both names for the same groups to reduce confusion, as both names were common.

"No way, the Charlies don't normally use explosives. Here and here," the lady ace that was commanding the point team pointed to two blast patterns, one that had torn up a booth, the other that had landed next to the upended pool table. "These are blasts from grenades or similar. Somebody was playing nasty."

"That military team, the one that is supposedly clearing Slavers off the Train?" the greenhorn asked. The heavy weapons guy could not remember his name, and didn't like the wuss, so he expected he would not need to learn his name when someone drilled his ass, if not today then sometime in the near future.

"Not impossible," the ace Slaver said. The heavy weapons guy had to deliberately look away from her to avoid popping a boner because of the way she had knelt down to inspect the blast mark from whatever grenade they used. "Here, two more blast marks, these are definitely from Flashbang grenades. Probably used two Flashbangs to disorient the defenders, then threw in a grenade on one side and used a grenade launcher on the other side. It would be what I would have done when assaulting from that direction."

"Okay, if they did it, where are they?" the pointman asked

"Probably linked up with our prey and are headed back the Train to effect an evacuation in the face of our numbers and firepower," she gauged after she stood up. "Well, they weren't moving fast, so we may catch them. Keep it moving! If they linked up, the bigger group is going to be slower still, and we should have no trouble catching them!"

"Hell yeah!" The point team moved up to the doors headed into the 0724 car and opened them with no regard for overall safety, now assured inside their minds that they were chasing a retreating enemy. After the doors opened, the greenhorn immediately stepped through, then stopped himself when he caught sight of some very unusual objects in the living room area of the house car. It created a pile-up of personnel behind him, both in the door and in the lounge car. "The fuck are those things?"

"I don't recognize them," the heavy weapons trooper commented dryly.

"I do, sorta," the lady said. "OHSHIT! THOSE ARE ARMORED BULWARKS!"

Before anything further could be said, all their worlds flashed bright white-orange in the same instant.

-x-

As soon as she heard the panic in the voice of one of the Slavers, when they realized what was happening and what they walked into, Megan tripped the detonator for the explosives, and since the enemy had no ECM equipment to interrupt the radio signal, all the detonator units fired without issue and began the orchestration of carnage.

The first and most poignant of the blasts were the six claymore antipersonnel mines set in the undercroft of the bar, aiming mostly toward the door into the 726 car, deliberately set to inflict maximum casualties on the trailing personnel. Though not the more lethal of the two options, the Claymores were estimated to have eliminated Slavers 25 to 36 in the column. Only the last Slaver in the column of 37 would be physically unharmed by the mines, but stunned by the sheer overpressure.

The other component of the mines was the real killer. Under the ten intact booth tables, the Combat Engineers had affixed a single mine to each bottom of the aluminum tables, mainly to turn the aluminum surfaces into extra shrapnel by the blast. The mines themselves were plastic-hull devices and thus not really fragmenting, and in most combat situations it was the fragmentation that did the most damage to exposed personnel, which meant that the fragmentation had to be provided somehow else.

The Rail Guard and Combat Engineer teams provided that fragmentation by way of roofing nails. Facing toward the walkway area of the lounge car, they had affixed two kilos of roofing nails between the mines and the tangos, with the intent of the blast front turning the two tidy boxes of roofing nails into two massive arcs of twisted, randomized, ripping bits of metal and distributing them throughout the open areas of the car. None of the slavers inside the doorways of the lounge car were untouched.

All but one of the persons inside the car were slain by the combination of traps. Only by sheer luck was one Slaver caught in three intersecting blast shadows caused by booth walls, the pool table, and a mini-fridge under the bar, and was only significantly wounded by ricocheting shrapnel. Everyone else in the car was slain to a man, leaving only three Slavers alive in the end of the house car — even the female Ace slaver commanding the recon team for their column had been slain by roofing nails to the back and neck.

Megan was first on her feet after the blast echoes faded and had her rifle on target — the three surviving entrants had been badly stunned by the blasts, but were still standing and had not yet grasped the significance of what had just happened. She tried shouting for them to drop their weapons, but after two call-outs she could tell they did not recognize any kind of command from her.

The guy with some kind of weird hand-carried short barrel rotary gun looked back into the lounge car, stared into the abyss behind him, and after ten seconds dropped his gun. When he looked back into the house car, he saw the barrels of several different rifles and automatic weapons pointed in his direction.

-x-

The heavy weapons Slaver had to admit he had seen some atrocities in his lifetime, but seeing an entire column of Slavers wiped out almost to a man was insanely worse than he thought he or his comrades had ever visited on people. Combined with the decidedly military-style ambush, tactical use of mines and traps, excellent use of funneling terrain, and now the realization that this was a hard-stop ambush they had blundered into, and the only conclusion he could come up with is that they had blundered dick-first into a sausage grinder being run by that fabled military team that was clearing the Slavers.

And in the great battle between the meat and the meat grinder, the grinder always wins in the end. The meat could try to jam up the grinder, to clog the gears, or stuff the extruder plate and thus halt the grinder, but the meat never expected to permanently stop the grinder and for good reason.

"No fucking way," he said, which sounded to his own hearing like he was talking in the confines of a steel pipe, but when he realized that the lady behind the lead bulwark was shouting and aiming an assault rifle at his face, it was time to surrender. So, slowly, he raised his hands in the classic surrender pose and made sure that he was distanced from his comrades in case they went full stupid when they regained awareness of their surroundings.

It took a few moments, what stretched into eternity as he expected to be shot at any moment, but two of the soldiers — they even had mostly-matched gearsets and battle dress uniforms — emerged from behind the armored bulwarks and came forward to take control of the three survivors at the front. Within a minute, they had been cuffed, disarmed, and lead out of the car and into a waiting transport truck. By that point, they had regained enough of their hearing to function in normal conversation.

"What happened, man? What the hell happened? What did they do to us?" the wussy greenhorn asked, starting into jittery shakes from his experience.

"That was an ambush, jackass, they sucked us into a prepared location and detonated a lot of frags behind us to kill the rest of the column," the senior Slaver answered testily.

"So it worked," one of the other passengers in the truck commented. "Nice."

"And who are you?" the senior Slaver asked of the guy.

"Athrun Zala. Until a few minutes ago, you were chasing us."

"The escapees from 817?" Athrun and Meyrin nodded to the question from the greenhorn wuss. "Damn. Guess we'll just have to track you down after the Star League exonerates us."

"Not going to happen," Athrun waved a finger at the rear of the truck, and specifically the Armored Infantry on the loading platform outside the back of the truck. "See those guys in the heavy armor? Those are Multimages. Sigma will hand you over to them, and they'll hammer you for information. Then they'll execute you and 'disappear' the remains."

"They can't do that. We're a Star League Guild, they have no authority to — " the senior Slaver cut his sentence short when Athrun began laughing. "What's so funny, slave?"

"These guys, the Mages, they don't give two rips about what the Star League said. They're going to execute you, and they're going to do it with a smile, according to that Commando Star Colonel in the dark blue infantry armor. And I'm going to help Sigma run down all your buddies in the Guild, capture or kill them all. Because it's the right thing to do."

The heavy weapons Slaver looked down between his feet at the deck of the truck's loadbed. The Slave was right, technically, the Mages traditionally never cared for protectionist policies, and the Slaver Guild could not publicly claim legitimate defense, so there was no recourse for him.

It was a haunting thought, to be laughed at by a Slave that ten minutes prior he was expecting to catch and kill for defying the Slavers.

-x-x-x-

Car 0726 (Seats, 1 Level) (1427) (Prior evacuated 5 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0727 (Seats, 1 Level) (1429)  
Car 0728 (Seats, 2 Level) (1431) (Evacuated 2 civilians, 7 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0729 (Seats, 2 Level) (1433)  
Car 0730 (Seats, 1 Level) (1435)

"What the hell is this?" One of the occupants in the room asked as Team 2 entered the car.

"Sigma Rail Guard, we're clearing the Train," Harold answered the question the guy floated.

"Rail Guard? You blew up all those Slavers? That was you?" One of the ladies in the room asked as all four of them stood up.

"That was us," Camille said, intellectually willing to take ownership of something that horridly effective, mainly because even if she wasn't on the detonator it would be used against her.

"Damn! That was shown on every monitor in the Train!" The guy said. Of the group, there were four ladies and a guy, not a normal spread of persons even amongst the refugees.

"You are well feared throughout the Train, now!" the youngest of the ladies said. So far as Camille could guess, she was probably pan-European in origin, neighborhood of 19 or 20 in age, and about half her size.

"Good, now the Slavers know we're gunning for their asses and we're bringing plenty of heat," Pete said from his overwatch position.

"Can you get us out? We want to join up," the guy said.

"We can arrange it." Harold activated his microphone. "Command, Rail Guard, need a door break on 730, five to extract."

"Rail Guard, Vickers, be advised I am assigning you a point of Armored Infantry to pace your team for support, since this is becoming a bit of a habit. Your shadow is designated Pit Crew, how copy?"

"Acknowledge all," Megan answered as she closed up behind Cedric.

"Rail Guard, Pit Lead, stand by for breach," a plasma torch was lit off outside the car, and quickly burned through the welds on the door. The remainder of effort was minimal to yank open the doors. "Evac is open, everybody out!" the engineer in the team ordered.

The five refugees had no trouble leaving the car, and headed out toward the front of the Rainhead.

"Just five in this car, Rail Guard?" the Point Commander asked.

"Aff, just five," Camille answered.

"We're on your shadow, just shout when needed," he said.

"You're not put off by this? This is a bit of overkill for Armored Infantry," Camille said.

"Neg, milady," the Point Commander answered heartily. "It is interesting work, watching your team in action, and an honor to assist in vanquishing the Slavers. Your captures are already talking loud and hard in an attempt to garner clemency!"

"Anything worth listening to?" Megan asked.

"Plenty," the Point's commo operator said. "I will slug you transcripts at the end of your day's run. They may inadvertently talk us into further operations if they divulge good sources, locations or methods."

"Hell yes! I'd love to take a crack at them outside the Trains," Pete put a fist in the air.

"All right, guys, we need to keep it movin'!" Megan waved then toward the next car. "Element 1 has the lead."

Car 0731 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1438) (Evacuated 9 civilians, 13 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0732 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1440)  
Car 0733 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1442) (Evacuated 6 civilians, 15 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0734 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1444)  
Car 0735 (House Car, 2 level) (1446) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0736 (Dining Car) (1448) (Evacuated 9 civilians, 9 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0737 (Seats, 1 Level) (1450) (Evacuated 9 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0738 (Seats, 2 Level) (1452) (Evacuated 4 recruits, 1 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0739 (Seats, 2 Level) (1454) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0740 (Seats, 2 Level) (1456)  
Car 0741 (Seats, 2 Level) (1458)  
Car 0742 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1500) (Evacuated 11 civilians, 8 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0743 (Baths, individual rooms (14)) (1502) (Evacuated 5 civilians)  
Car 0744 (Sleeper Car, Double Rooms (9)) (1504) (Evacuated 23 civilians, 3 recruits, 5 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0745 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1507) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0746 (House Car, 1 level)) (1509) (Evacuated 8 civilians)  
Car 0747 (Lounge Car) (1511) (Evacuated 2 civilians)  
Car 0748 (Seats, 2 Level) (1513) (Evacuated 3 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0749 (Seats, 1 Level) (1515) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0750 (Seats, 2 Level) (1517)

-x-x-x-

The Slavers had been transferred to the Brig by Armored Infantry, which freed up Athrun and the other escapees to head for the induction center. The break point was the stairs up to the upper levels of the facility, which Athrun wasn't entirely sure if it was a military base or a trumped-up rail maintenance depot. Carpentaria Base had a similar facility that was outside the actual base perimeter, this one being under the base itself and terminating directly under the headquarters building struck him as bad security procedure.

"I'm finding this hard to believe, y'know? Why so much of the base underground?" Meyrin asked as they headed for the stairs up into the maintenance levels of the facility.

"Different design ethos," Athrun guessed. "They probably expected to be here for a long while."

"Okay, but doesn't that increase costs?" Meyrin's schooling had been in Accounting prior to joining ZAFT. Though she had been offered several positions as an accountant by the military, she had taken position as an Operator because it was something that helped on the frontlines.

"It does, but it also reduces footprint and conceals certain critical base functions," Athrun said. "And sometimes, space is a premium, so building down is neede— " Athrun cut himself off after he entered the maintenance level and came face to face with one of the fusion engines. "What is — no way!" he gaped after he read the main information panel on the side of the machine.

"Fusion reactor? What is that?" the female escapee asked. Athrun suspected her from an earlier period of history, maybe 1930s or 1940s England? Nuclear Physics would not be even theoretically understood in that time period, not by common people on the street.

"It's a type of power generation that is hugely efficient, but a little bit dangerous," Meyrin said. "And they have ten of them powering this base. Wow."

"The reactors here are probably big enough that they could power all of London and the factories out in the suburbs," Athrun guessed, though undershot his estimate by an order of magnitude: one of the reactors could power what he guessed, all ten reactors could have powered the southern half of England in the 1930s.

"Wow, that's a lot of power," Meyrin said. "I wonder why they need so much."

"Large base?" Athrun guessed (not incorrectly) as the group continued through toward the stairs up to the next basement level.

Upstairs, the path began splitting in several directions to operational facilities throughout this basement level, including a placard to a firearms and training range and several storage facilities. The obvious guiding lines on the ground headed toward the induction center, so the group headed in that general direction. The end of the line wasn't too deep into the corridor, and it appeared to be moving fairly quickly, so Athrun and the group found and held position in the line.

-x-

Administrator Victoria Williams had a bit of a day so far, and with her husband, Clint, and the big guy out of the office for a goodly portion of it, that made her the ranking administrator on the team. She had already signed off on two good, solid transfers in for the Mages, both of which were hard-charging mechanized units willing to work as mercenaries, so they would definitely be earning their keep as part of the forces on planet. She just hoped that she wasn't violating any standing policies she had not yet heard of from the other Admins.

"This is the reception line for the refugees coming off the Trains," Victoria explained to Neinke Honoratia, the accidental refugee who had landed on Sigma 2 during their morning training run. "As the Rail Guard teams extract people off the Trains in the undercroft below us, the people come up here, register, and we begin the process of integrating them into the Protectorate. Those that want to go home, we begin the process of working out where they came from, others we find permanent residence and employment here on planet."

"And these Trains dimension door themselves from place to place?" Neinke asked as she passed a group of particularly haggard kids. "A lot of children in this group."

"The larger Train is populated by a disproportionate amount of children and teens," Victoria explained. "It appears to have been one of the major focuses of the myriad Slavers on the Train, to capture children for sale elsewhere in Existence."

"Invidious," Lady Honoratia stated her opinion on the matter. Slavery was illegal in the bounds of her home country, but was off-and-on practiced to the east of her home nation by some less-civilized groups.

"It is why we took the job, because no person should be held as a slave," Victoria said.

The two, Administrator and refugee Knight, passed by the end of the line as they were headed downstairs into the undercroft so that Neinke could see what the process was for the Trains. They passed some uniformed types, and in so doing Victoria caught a good close-up look at someone she was reasonably sure had to be fiction. After all, Gundam SEED Destiny was an anime on her homeworld, and one of the few animes that she could tolerate, so she easily recognized a real-life Athrun Zala and Meyrin Hawke as she passed by them. She was able to force herself to keep walking without breaking step, at the least, but she surmised that would be a very amusing story for the big guy when he returned.

-x-

"Who was that?" Meyrin asked.

"Which one?" the ZAFT Warrant Officer asked. "The lady in armor and with a sword was kinda cute."

"No, the lady ahead of her, in the desert BDUs," Meyrin said.

"She was somebody," Athrun said. "Going by the armpatch and the tower, she has to be an officer in the Protectorate, though I didn't recognize the flag under it," he said. Athrun would later learn that the flag was that of the State of Kentucky, given their militia background.

"I saw her tower stripes. How are they read, top to bottom?"

"No, bottom up," Athrun corrected the Warrant Officer.

"Then it was Regular Guy, Kentucky Militia, Sigma Four," the Warrant Officer declared.

"They are the method by which Sigma intends to convey their history and expertise," a voice said from the far side of the direction they were looking. The group turned to look at the speaker, and Meyrin immediately gasped and slid in behind Athrun when she saw the 8-foot, 475-pound Multimage Infantryman (without armor at this time) standing there.

"History?" Athrun asked. He had some difficulty mastering his own reaction to the walking wall of whoopass, but held his peace nonetheless. (It was obvious that, though still Human or close enough to it, these Magi were big on genetic engineering to a level that would make Coordinator scientists green with envy.)

"Aff, and hers is an interesting one. Administrator Victoria Williams, callsign Sigma Four. Her dominion is HR and urban development. If we have a surge of refugees land here, you can expect she would open up another table to help induct," the Infantryman explained.

"Okay, so that's the Sigma Four tag, what about the rest?" Meyrin asked.

"Regular Guy means just that, or girl in her case, in that she was just a normal person before this job. The Kentucky Militia part was the big one, as her militia cell entered the 523 Train downstairs, swept it, and landed here to begin solving this problem. It is what they do, solve problems."

"Are we allowed to sign up?" The Warrant Officer asked. "We were military, before we were captured by Slavers."

That caused the Infantryman to frown. "Hrm? I have not heard of many incidents of the Slavers directly attacking military personnel, and even less such incidents of them succeeding."

Athrun opened his mouth to answer, then closed it. After a couple moments, he sighed. "We were on a prototype warship, a small ship compared to the ship that hit us. We peeled off our existing mission to answer a distress call, and when we got there a massive warship uncloaked and shelled our ship. They extracted the crew, what few of us they didn't outright kill, and put us on the Train you captured."

"Hrm, that is rather unexpected. I daresay that confirms the existence of the _Privateer_ -class ships, if you had eyes-on the ship as it busted yours. I will pass it on to the Century Commander — "

"I heard, Point Commander," a smaller guy said as he stepped past the Infantryman. He wore the same uniform as the Infantryman, but his collection of brass and ribbons told quite a long tale to Athrun, even if he was not sure what ribbons meant what for the Magi.

"Sir," the Point Commander came to attention but never saluted.

"As you were, Graves."

"Aff, sir," the Infantryman eased up.

"You said you were former military? I do not recognize your organization patch, trooper. What outfit were you with?"

"Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty, Warrant Officer James Keanes, Mobile Suit maintenance and repair," he answered immediately.

"And the remainder of your group?"

"Four of us were military, two civilians," Athrun answered for them.

"After you are signed in and settled, do you object to a brief discussion on the warship that attacked you? We are still trying to write up a book on the _Privateer_ -class ships, as we have known them to exist but have never encountered one," the Century Commander requested.

"I think I'd like a crack at them," Athrun said. "Anything I can do to help, I'm in."

-x-x-x-

Car 0751 (Seats, 2 Level) (1519) (Evacuated 2 civilians, 1 recruit)  
Car 0752 (Seats, 1 Level) (1521)  
Car 0753 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1523) (Evacuated 10 civilians, 1 recruit, 1 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0754 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1525)  
Car 0755 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1527) (Evacuated 3 civilians, 15 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0756 (Sleeper Car, Single Rooms (15)) (1529) (Evacuated 15 Civilians)  
Car 0757 (House Car, 2 Level) (1531) (Evacuated 6 civilians, 3 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0758 (Storage Car) (1533)

Harold was first through the doorway and into the Storage Car, which was really a large open bay analogous to a boxcar but with some specialized equipment.

He was also the first person to catch sight of the big red enigma in the room. "Holy fucksticks, what is that thing?" he asked after the rest of the team had entered and all had sights on it.

"I don't know, Camille?" Cedric asked.

"It's a Negaverse Battle Armor, I don't recognize it specifically," she said. "Pit Crew from Rail Guard, can you open up 758? We need a consultation in here."

"Acknowledged, stand by," this time the door was opened by way of battle claws on one of the Pit Crew team, and then pried the door open in one pull. "Oh, wow, there's a relic," he said after the Point Officer caught sight of the Battle Armor sitting slumped against a wall.

"You know it?" Camille asked.

"Dermiza Medium Battle Armor. It's roughly analogous to the Clan Elemental, but carries two automatic grenade launchers and over-the-shoulder missiles instead of a single variable weapon and the missiles. It'll hold its own against a lot of Battle Armor units in its weight class, but not much more than that," the point commander for Pit Crew explained. "It looks worse than it really is. The Negaverse was in the game of Battle Armor as a catch-up when their infantry realized that they didn't have much of a hope against the Magi's Armored Infantry forces, and a lot of their early designs are decidedly uneven. This one is pretty good against Unarmored Infantry, but against anything more substantial than it, not much of a hope."

"Worth keeping?" Pete asked.

The PC chuckled. "Shit, son, most Battle Armor above the Exoskeleton class is better than going in unarmored. Wearing this thing makes you almost immune to small arms fire and gives you a lot more firepower," the Point Commander answered.

"Any takers?" Pete asked.

"If you want it, take it," Camille said. "I'm not interested in the Tin Can routine."

"Anyone else?" Pete asked. Nobody stepped up. "I've got it, then," he tagged the armor as his own, and with it took his first step toward what he would find to be his preferential form of warfare.

Car 0759 (Seats, 2 Level) (1537)  
Car 0760 (Seats, 1 Level) (1539) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0761 (Seats, 1 Level) (1541) (Evacuated 2 recruits)  
Car 0762 (Seats, 1 Level) (1543) (Evacuated 13 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0763 (Seats, 1 Level) (1545) (Evacuated 13 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0764 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1547) (Evacuated 3 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0765 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1549)  
Car 0766 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1551) (Evacuated 11 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0767 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1553) (Evacuated 5 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0768 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1555) (Evacuated 6 civilians)  
Car 0769 (Dining Car) (1557) (Evacuated 17 civilians, 7 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0770 (Seats, 1 Level) (1559) (Evacuated 1 civilian, 5 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0771 (Seats, 1 Level) (1601)  
Car 0772 (Seats, 1 Level) (1603) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0773 (Seats, 1 Level) (1605)  
Car 0774 (Seats, 2 Level) (1607) (Evacuated 2 civilians, 5 recruits, 10 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0775 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1609) (Evacuated 13 Charlie Mafiosi)

"See this shit?" Quintin waved a finger at the windows in the sleeper room. "Heavy tinted, break-resistant polycarbonate glass. Frames welded in several spots. Window frame reinforced."

"They don't want their captives getting out through the windows," Scarlet said.

"Damned death trap if this car was engulfed in flames," Carl said from behind Scarlet's right shoulder.

"Never ceases to amaze, what depths they will go to for profit and sadism," Megan grumped. "What do you want to bet the entire rest of the Train is secured like this?"

"No way, no take, boss," Quintin said. "If they didn't secure the rest, they'd be fools."

"True. Keep an eye out, though. Any defense has a weakness, and any defense is guarding something worthwhile."

Car 0776 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1612)  
Car 0777 (Sleeper Car, Single Beds (15)) (1614) (Evacuated 15 Civilians, 15 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0778 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1616) (Evacuated 12 Civilians)  
Car 0779 (House Car, 1 Level) (1618) (Evacuated 1 civilian)  
Car 0780 (Lounge Car) (1620) (Evacuated 18 civilians, 15 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0781 (Seats, 2 Level) (1622)  
Car 0782 (Seats, 2 Level) (1624) (Evacuated 2 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0783 (Seats, 2 Level) (1626) (Evacuated 5 recruits)  
Car 0784 (Seats, 2 Level) (1628)  
Car 0785 (Seats, 2 Level) (1630) (Evacuated 5 civilians)  
Car 0786 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1632) (Evacuated 19 Civilians)  
Car 0787 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1634)  
Car 0788 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1636)  
Car 0789 (Baths, Individual Rooms (14)) (1638) (Evacuated 1 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0790 (House Car, 2 Level) (1640) (Evacuated 8 civilians)  
Car 0791 (Dining Car) (1642) (Evacuated 21 civilians, 9 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0792 (Seats, 2 Level) (1644) (Evacuated 3 recruits)  
Car 0793 (Seats, 2 Level) (1646) (Evacuated 1 Charlie Mafiosi as recruit)  
Car 0794 (Seats, 2 Level) (1648) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0795 (Seats, 2 Level) (1650) (Evacuated 15 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0796 (Seats, 2 Level) (1652)  
Car 0797 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1654) (Evacuated 20 civilians)  
Car 0798 (Baths, Stalls (20)) (1656) (Evacuated 4 Charlie Mafiosi)  
Car 0799 (Sleeper Car, Double Beds (9)) (1658) (Evacuated 6 Charlie Mafiosi as recruits)  
Car 0800 (Baths, Gender-Split) (1700) (Evacuated 6 civilians)

"Ha! Car 800, last civilians evacuated! Done for the day!" Pete shouted with a holler in celebration.

"Look at that, clock just turned over to 1700," Megan said after checking her watch. "Anybody want to press for a few more?"

"Hell no, boss, we're approaching the fortified area and you know they're going to have sentries. Best we don't press our luck before nightfall, y'know?" Quintin pointed out the likely scenario.

"Any opposing opinion?" Nobody on the team answered. "Very well, we'll bunk in one car back in 799, shower in 798." She toggled her radio switch. "Pit Crew, Rail Guard, we've hit our programmed max advance at 800. Who's doing sentry while we rest up and bed in?"

"Standby, we'll get some guards in place for you. Pit Crew will stand down after sentries are in, when do we reform tomorrow morning, Rail Guard?"

"We begin ops usually 0900 sharp, we're usually in place for final checks and preparedness at 0850."

"Copy all," Pit Crew Lead answered.

"Rail Guard and Pit Crew from Command section, I have 3 sentries on the way from the assault infantry, they will relieve you at car 800 shortly. Final tally is as follows: 27 Slavers captured and ready for extradition by the Commandos tomorrow, total evacuations today are 1,352 persons, of which 602 are Charlie Mafiosi and 206 of those have actively signed up for Sigma service citing your actions as reason for enlistment, even if most of them are not yet legal to join. Solid numbers and actions, Rail Guard. Your ambush footage is making the rounds topside, and you've earned some serious kudos. Have a good evening!"

"Will do, Command. Rail Guard will be standing down shortly." Megan let off her radio switchplate. "Dining car in 791, anyone up for some grilled chicken?"

"Hell yes, boss lady!" Camille answered heartily.

-x-x-x-

(1730 hours Boarhound time)

The discussion on the _Privateer_ -class warship took some 60 minutes with Century Commander Vickers, who after Athrun gave what information he knew, offered the wearied ZAFT expatriate a drink in gratitude for his assistance. Athrun accepted the shot of bourbon readily, as he knew he would need to ingratiate himself with the Magi if he wanted a shot at these Slaver pirate ships: as far as he could tell, the Magi were the only game in town that intended to actively hunt them down and kill them all. Sigma wanted into the game, granted, but it was painfully obvious to Athrun that this was a startup venture, and were a long way away from being ready to do business in that regard.

The ZAFT crew had chosen to take residence as neighbors: four adjacent row houses on the east side of the base, so that they were in close contact with each other. The area was filling in rapidly with refugees and knots of friends / lovers from the Trains, people that Sigma was willing to give a chance to start anew in a proper nation. Zala had figured it rather insane of them to even be thinking loud about this, but they were doing it and they were doing it with the grace of some of the highest powers in this corner of the universe.

All four ZAFT operators had signed up for service in the Protectorate, given right now they needed a way to stay afloat and they wanted to go home with some Slaver asses on pikes to prove what had happened was legitimate. Athrun decided he would heed the advice of the Rail Guard lead and not yet select exactly where he was going to go into the Protectorate, since there was a dizzying array of choices as to where to go and what to do. Of course, his strongest leaning right now was into Mobile Suit operations, but there were also two sub-disciplines branched from MS Ops: Mobile Armor Pilot and Gundam Pilot.

Partway through reading up on Ground Armor (Hover) units, he began feeling in his bones the all-too-familiar rattle of Mobile Suits on the move, and seconds after he realized he was feeling it, he could hear them. This prompted Zala to set down the tablet and step out his front door to see where they were coming from.

With the Gate Flats northwest of the Admin Building and HPG, and the standing armor hangars southeast of the admin building, there were only a few logical courses incoming units could take to get to the hangars, and in this case a column of units was passing along one of the outside routes — and within sight of Athrun's front door.

"What are those things?" Meyrin asked as she approached Athrun's front door.

"I don't know," Athrun ducked back into the BEQ, grabbed his tablet, and came out onto his porch again. He took a quick picture of the machine and activated a 'weaponry identification program' built into these tablets.

The first five machines of fifteen were similar sized to or larger than Mobile Suits, but the second group of five units were Mobile Suits — or at least something close to what Athrun would recognize. The lead machine came back as an assault 'mech — specifically, the ATM-2A Atmaweapon. Basically a walking gun platform, he could quickly tell from the information on the identification page. At 100 tons, the only Mobile Suit that Athrun knew would outweigh it would be Yzak's Duel with the assault armor shroud, and therein the mass difference would only be 5 tons.

"Assault 'mechs, the first five. Second group, lead unit — a Gundam?" The five Mobile Suits all turned out to be Gundams, technically, with a Gerbera, a Physalis, a G-05 Gundam, a Heavyarms, and lastly a Double-X Gundam.

"What's a Gundam?" Meyrin asked. "Aren't those like our specialized units? Like Shinn's unit?" she continued her questions.

"I think they are," Athrun answered while reading into the units in question. If the numbers were right, three of the five units listed had performance envelopes in excess of his old Gundam Aegis, and at least one of them had performance equivalent to his old Gundam Justice. In the hands of competent pilots, they would be very nasty foes.

"So, if the Magi have Mobile Suits or Gundams or whatever, does that mean Sigma will?" Meyrin asked.

Athrun looked up from the tablet to Meyrin, then to the marching Gundams, and then back to Meyrin. "I think I have it figured out."

"What?"

"Thank you," Athrun ducked back into his quarters and called up the list of possible career paths. Sure enough, there were open positions for both Gundam Pilot and Gundam Pilot Instructor.

* * *

 **Author's Chapter Afterword** :

So now the real fun begins for this Train.

Now the Rail Guard has something of a reputation on the Train, which will change their encounters going forward, but there is also a major downside to the ambush. With the incident displayed on monitors throughout the Train as something of a combination warning and propaganda, now the other Slavers know what they are going to have to face. They aren't going to be foolhardy enough to blunder into another ambush, but they will be waiting for the Rail Guard Team to come their way.

There is also a bit of a time bomb in the chapter, as well: the Dermiza Battle Armor that Pete has reserved for himself is something of a double-edge sword going forward for the team, in that the more Pete learns about Battle Armor in general and some of the other armor units specifically, the more he is going to start moving toward Armored Infantry detail and away from the Rail Guard.

This is one of those things that I have not properly conveyed thus far in the Rail Guard stories and in Sigma overall. The unit is in its infancy, and people are still feeling out where they intend to go, what they intend as their career. There will be some that wash out of their chosen fields. There will be others that gravitate into other preferred positions as options become available. Mainly, though, units will form up and disband as the personnel find their chosen path, and the extant Rail Guard teams are no different. Some personnel may opt to stay in even against what they want to do initially, but others will find their way into other professions. For the record, the appropriate position for Rail Guard is classified as Infantry (Assault) or Special Operations, as per my random-generation system for characters. That said, by that metric of positions, there are only two persons in the unit who are really defaulted to the Rail Guard teams, the others may stay or may go.

And now, for the big one, the ZAFT troopers. As Takeshi states below in his afterword, this is caused from a divergent history due to Slaver interference in the pursuit of the _Girty Lue_. While there is some concern for what is going to go off the deep end in the land of the SEEDs, my major concern is what happens with their crew in the here and now. Now, before I get into specifics, I need to make mention that there are more surviving crewmembers from the _Minerva_ in the train, and they will also play a role in the events going forward, but they will also share a rather significant trait going forward: a deep-seated hatred of the Slavers.

Now, as to where the ZAFT crew goes, they will eventually want to return home to tell their side of the story, but the major point going forward is as Athrun stated: they want a crack at the Slavers. And Sigma is all too willing to deliver, inasfar as these things are counted. The ZAFT crew are all very proficient persons in their fields, and Sigma needs a boost in both qualified persons to train and qualified persons to operate, so there becomes a confluence of needs and desires that will benefit everyone except the Slavers.

That said, the lands of Gundam SEED are not a known quantity to the First Six Star Empires or the Star League. It is not even a known land to the Executors, such is the obscurity of the scenario, but it is known through the anime to the Sigma command section. They know not to let on about the fiction aspect of it but as with the encounters pertaining to Vash The Stampede (Trigun) and Princess Alexandros (Final Fantasy IX), they do understand events at a level that would mystify and terrify the residents of those respective lands. The flipside is that the Command Section is prepared to leverage strengths using alternate means and turn the advantages of those disparate worlds into benefits for the Protectorate — and ensure everyone profits in more than one way when the final tally is done.

All that remains is to complete the rescue and see who wants to go where. Time and operations wait for no man, such as these things are.

NEXT UP: The looming Slaver Fortified Zone will test the team to their absolute limits. Who will survive?

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 **Beta Reader's Afterword (Takeshi Yamato)** :

The characters of Athrun Zala and Meyrin Hawke come to the setting from an alternate version of Gundam SEED Destiny, one where the militaries of the world do NOT employ teenagers on a regular basis. All the 'Minerva Rookies' that were in their mid-late teens are in their early 20s, on average, though there might be one or two that are as young as 19, but that's the bottom limit.

Furthermore, the _Minerva_ in this timeline ran into a Slaver's Guild Warship while chasing the _Girty Lue_ , and the ZAFT warship was defeated, the crew and passengers either captured or killed. Theirs is a timeline that does not have a Hyperpulse Generator for communications, and has not encountered the Star League or any extra-dimensional visitors until this point.

And yes, Cagalli Yula Athha is dead in this instance. We ran Dice Rolls for everyone except Luna (her survival is mostly guaranteed for plot purposes), her fellow pilots Shinn and Rey (both dead) and Chairman Durandal (dead). Cagalli was one of the unlucky ones where the Dice rolled in favor of her death. How will this affect that instance of the Cosmic Era? If you show enough interest, we may just show you. :)

* * *

 **Review Replies** : Two solid replies for Chapter 4, always a pleasure :)

K Phoenix: By the end of Chapter 13 in the mainline, most of Foley's paranoia is gone, now effectively replaced by the realization that A) Sigma is trying to better a very crappy scenario by way of doing strange and otherwise good-hearted contracts for profit and props, and B) there is only a handful of real 'good' entities in the world (universe) he now resides in, and Sigma may be on that short list. As to his reaction to telepathy, that's still to come; not all of that conundrum has yet sunk in for him. As to RamirezDoEverything, well, he'll definitely earn his place in coming chapters and stories.

As to the whole 'lone wolf ace' ethos that seems to crop up in mobile warfare, the Magi do not tolerate any of that bullshit and nor will Sigma. Sigma will have small team special operators in Gundams and certain special purpose Omnis, but Heero Yuy clones are NOT an option in my stories. It just does not jive with the rest of the setting being reliant on military principle and real-world understanding of combat power. A Wing Gundam is a very powerful machine, but it is not a one-man game winner machine under MMC / JW / AAA / Sigma ethos and principle.

As to AAA, I am in the process of writing up my next chapter for that venerable story, and I will continue on it for as long as it takes.

Thanks!

Knives 91: The Rangers are for now part of Dagger's outfit, so you'll get to see a lot of them in action. Hope you're looking forward to it!

THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE REVIEWS! Always glad to get feedback for the fire!

* * *

 **The Gripe Sheet** :

No gripes from the last chapter, so much thanks to **Takeshi Yamato** , **Sieben Nightwing** , and **Necroblade** for keeping the prose straight.

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 **Footnotes** :

(1): **B** ase **E** nlisted **Q** uarters, private housing on the base for use specifically by enlisted personnel. Usually a row house or multiplex, affords an enlisted some privacy and family room.

* * *

 **Included Works** :

—Real-world principles: The use of command-detonated mines with fragmentation effects is commonly used in defensive scenarios to provide an initial shock strike to an attacking enemy, to disrupt their attack and inflict immediate casualties either before initial engagement or during the opening moments of a firefight. The Claymore mines used for this job do exist in real life, but the Improved Multipurpose Mine is a Multimage weapon system.

—Gundam SEED Destiny: This crossover element assumes a divergent history courtesy of a slaver Privateer-class warship disabling the Minerva and capturing a portion of the crew. Where it shall blossom from that turning point, nobody knows as of yet.


End file.
